Technical help

What equipment do I need to use the Northern Rock online application?

A computer with a currently supported operating system and a browser such as Internet Explorer that supports 128bit encryption with a display resolution of 800x600 or higher.

For further information contact Technical Help.

My password is 'locked out' and 'One time passwords'

If your password has been entered incorrectly and you have ordered a new one time password (OTP), please do not make any further attempts to enter a password (even if you think you have remembered it) until you have received your password letter from us. Your OTP is generated over night and may take between 2 and 5 days to arrive depending on your postal service.

When I try to log in I get the message "You are already signed onto the system."

This message is a security feature on your account.

If you do not close your secure session via the correct navigation buttons (e.g. your Internet connection drops) a 15 minute timeout is activated. You will only be able to access your account after this timeout has cleared.

I am unable to select the random letter from my password

If text size 'large' is chosen in your browser, the result may be that the whole of the alphabet will not appear when selecting the random character from your password from the drop down box.

Go to 'View' then 'Text Size' and set to 'Medium' or 'Normal' (if using Firefox).

For further information contact Technical Help.

Page cannot be displayed or screen freezes

• This may occur when 'Cookies' are disabled.
  You can configure cookie handling in the 'Privacy' section of your browser, select 'Tools' then 'Internet Options'.
• Your Temporary Internet Files folder / cache is full.

Clearing Temporary Files in Internet Explorer
The Temporary Internet Files can be cleared within Internet options, select 'Tools' then 'Internet Options'.

Clearing Cache in Mozilla Firefox
With Firefox on screen, select Tools and then Options from the top menu
Select the Privacy Section and then the Cache tab
Click on the Clear Cache Now button
When this is complete, select OK

For further information contact Technical Help.

The system asks for the same password character or security question every time

The same character or question will be asked until you answer it correctly or the system is locked out, this is a security feature of our system that prevents 'brute force' password attacks.

For further information contact Technical Help.

I get a message telling me that the Northern Rock Security Certificate is invalid

This may be because:

Your computer clock/calendar is incorrectly set. To correct your PC clock, double click the clock in the bottom right corner of your screen. Set your date and time correctly then select 'Apply'. If your PC clock does not maintain the correct settings, it may be due to a low/flat CMOS battery on older motherboards.

This kind of message is also experienced with some older browsers - The supplier of your browser may supply an update to install the necessary libraries.

Contacting Technical Help

If you have exhausted the suggestions on these help pages, please send details of your problem to technicalhelp@northernrock.co.uk.

Be sure to include:

Details of the problem including any error messages that are displayed
Your Operating System (Windows 7/Vista/MacOS 10.6)
(Please note that their respective suppliers may not support older operating systems, in these cases the amount of support we can offer is limited).
The Internet Browser you are using and version number (Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4.0, Opera, Safari etc)
Any browser toolbars you are using such as Google Toolbar, CallingID.

For further information contact Technical Help.

Security details

Security Details

Passwords play an integral part in your account security and it is imperative that you keep your password protected and do not disclose it to anyone else.

The same applies to your Customer ID and your answers to the security questions we ask. Our advice is to commit all of this information to memory.

It is vitally important that your security details are not recorded where they can be discovered, or observed, by anyone else. We also recommend that you change your password frequently, as an additional, but valuable security measure.

If you are using the Internet in a public place such as an Internet Cafe, do not leave the PC unattended and ensure that no one is watching what you type.

You should not choose or change your personal information if you are in a public place such as an Internet cafe.

Make sure you log off from online banking upon completion of your session.

Do not respond to e-mails that request personal information such as passwords, including any which appear to have been sent by Northern Rock, we will never request this information from you.

If you suspect that the security of any account has been compromised, contact Northern Rock immediately.

Phishing

Some UK banks have become targets of fraudulent e-mail scams, where customers have been requested to provide or confirm their online security details by e-mail. This is referred to as "phishing".

Unfortunately, there is little that Northern Rock, or any other bank, can do to stop these e-mails being sent. This is how Northern Rock would communicate with you:

What we do:

• Any email we send you will only contain links to features and information or promotions about Northern Rock's products and services. These links are for your convenience and you should always use our full website address directly in order to access your accounts.

What we don't do:

• We will never send emails asking you to provide, update or confirm personal or security information, like your account number, PIN or security details via email.

Please be extremely vigilant when accessing your online accounts in public places e.g. Internet cafes.

If you do receive an e-mail claiming to be from Northern Rock, asking you to confirm your security details online, it is very important that you do not respond to it.

Please forward it, preferably as an attachment, to report.phishing@northernrock.co.uk. We won't be able to reply individually but we do investigate every e-mail to ensure that any fraudulent sites are closed down as quickly as possible.

If you are ever concerned that you may have divulged information or compromised your security details, please contact our helpline on 0845 607 6991*.

Lines are open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday and 10am-3pm Sunday.

Intermediaries - please contact the Intermediary Online Support Team on 0845 602 8348. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am-6.00pm.*

Further information is available on this, and other security issues from the APACS website www.banksafeonline.org.uk. In addition, further information on identity fraud is also available at the CIFAS website www.identityfraud.org.uk.

* Calls are charged at your service provider's prevailing rate and may be monitored or recorded.

What we do to protect you

We are committed to making our service as safe as possible. Below are some of the ways that we help to protect you:

• Our Online Services are hosted on a secure encrypted server - Encryption converts your information into a secure format before it is sent over the Internet.
• Our Online Services automatically log you out if you haven't used the service for 15 minutes - This increases security by limiting the time our online services are available should you forget to log out or leave your computer.
• Our log-in process includes the need to select two letters of your password from the dropdown lists - This protects against malicious software designed to capture keystrokes.
• If you make a number of incorrect attempts to log-in, we will disable your access - This is to stop fraudsters repeatedly trying to guess your details.

How to protect yourself

In addition to the steps we have taken to protect you, there are a number of ways that you can help to protect yourself:

• Personal security information - Passwords play an integral part in your account security and it is imperative that you keep your password protected and do not disclose it to anyone else. The same applies to your Customer ID and your answers to the security questions we ask. Our advice is to commit all of this information to memory.
  If you are ever concerned that you may have divulged information or compromised your security details, please contact our helpline on 0845 607 6991.
• Last logged on details - Every time you log on to our online services, we display the time and date you last logged on. If you believe that this is incorrect, someone else may have accessed your accounts online and you must contact the Northern Rock helpdesk immediately on 0845 607 6991 or 0191 279 2055.
• Using the internet in a public place - Internet cafes are not always secure and sometimes these computers save passwords and other personal information without your knowledge. If you are using the Internet in a public place, do not leave the PC unattended and ensure that no one is watching what you type.
  You should not choose or change your personal information if you are in a public place such as an Internet cafe. When you are finished your session, always ensure that you close your browser and log off.
• Install security software - Protect your computer with security software that includes firewalls, anti-virus, and anti-spyware software. To be effective, the software should be updated on a regular basis.
• Phishing - Some UK banks have become targets of fraudulent e-mail scams, where customers have been requested to provide or confirm their online security details by e-mail. This is referred to as "phishing". These e-mails usually talk about online security and ask you to click on a link and enter your security details into what may look like a genuine website. It's very important you do not use these links and enter your security details. Unfortunately, there is little that Northern Rock, or any other bank can do to stop these e-mails being sent.
  This is how Northern Rock would communicate with you:
• What we do - Any e-mail we send you will only contain links to features and information or promotions about Northern Rock's products and services. These links are for your convenience and you should always use our full website address directly in order to access your accounts.
• What we don't do - We will never send e-mails asking you to provide, update or confirm personal or security information, like your account number, PIN or security details via e-mail.
  Do not respond to e-mails that request personal information such as passwords, including any which appear to have been sent by Northern Rock, we will never request this information from you. Please forward it, preferably as an attachment, to report.phishing@northernrock.co.uk. We won't be able to reply individually but we do investigate every e-mail to ensure that any fraudulent sites are closed down as quickly as possible.

More information about online security

If you'd like more information about online security, here are few sites which offer advice and provide 'best practice' procedures.

• Get Safe Online: This site is run by the government and leading businesses to provide expert advice to staying safe online.
• Banksafe Online: The UK banking industry's initiative to help users stay safe online.
• Microsoft security tips: Find free products to help prevent spyware, viruses, identity theft, and spam.

Jargon key

Firewall / Personal Firewall

A system designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from a network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorised Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially Intranets. All messages entering or leaving the Intranet or network pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

Encryption

Encryption is a way of scrambling information that is transferring between you and Northern Rock through a secure environment. The strength of encryption is measured by the number of bits being used in the scrambling process. The Northern Rock online application can only be accessed by a browser that uses 128-bit encryption (this is currently the most secured). The Northern Rock online application is protected by several layers of security, including two layers of encryption technology. Our encryption algorithm is internationally recognised and has been exposed to public scrutiny for several years with no specific vulnerabilities being exposed. Of course we keep the matter under constant review to make sure we have the highest standard of security for our customers.

Pop-Up Blocking

Programs designed to stop pop up adverts appearing on your screen whilst browsing the Internet.

Application

Software designed to allow computer users to carry out a specific task.

Browser

A browser is used to view web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox are popular examples of web browsers.

Cache

A cache is a browser's temporary file storage area. In the case of Temporary Internet Files, when you visit a web page, a copy of that page is placed in the cache. On return to that page it will load more quickly because it is retrieved from your cache rather than the Internet. To see the newest version of the page, select refresh or type a question mark at the end of the URL (Web Address).

Network

A series of computers linked, allowing them to talk to each other. There are two main types of network, Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). The Internet works on a WAN as it is made up of a collection of smaller networks linked together.

Proxy Server

A server that sits between a client application such as a Web browser, and a web server. It intercepts all requests to the web server to see if it can fulfil the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the web server.

Northern Rock provides the above technical advice in good faith having successfully tested all of the suggested solutions.

To the best of our knowledge, the changes we suggest will not have any detrimental effect on the normal functionality of your PC. However due to the significant variety of equipment, software and configurations in use, Northern Rock can not accept any responsibility for any unwanted conflicts or undesirable impact of implementing any of the suggested changes. Customers are recommended to take appropriate advice from their suppliers or technical support specific to their equipment if they are in any way concerned or unsure about the effect of any change. Northern Rock would also recommend that appropriate measures be taken to allow changes to be regressed.