The Wisconsin Bankers Association has reassured bank customers that they are protected from unauthorized transactions that could result from a virus called the Heartbleed Bug.
The encryption, fraud detection software and rigorous security standards banks have in place will help in combatting the virus, said Rose Oswald Poels, president and chief executive officer of the WBA.
“Financial institutions in Wisconsin are examining their systems with a fine-toothed comb and are applying security patches and updating encryption keys where needed,” Oswald Poels said. “In many cases, internet banking applications are not impacted by this bug. Most financial institutions have a layer of security that prevents this type of exploitation, while others don’t even use OpenSSl, so this vulnerability isn’t an issue for them.”
The WBA encouraged consumers to carefully monitor their accounts for any unusual activity, and report it to their banks as soon as possible. To avoid phishing scams, the WBA advises consumers not to responding to emails with links claiming an account is under jeopardy, and to contact a business directly with any concerns.
