Saving personal information and how to protect yourself

Our website allows you to save information so you can stop when you want and pick up from where you left off. But to get the most out of this feature while protecting your privacy and security, you should follow a few simple precautions.

Saving personal information

You shouldn't give your Desjardins Financial Security password to anyone. Only you should know what your password is, and you should change it regularly.

Your password must be from 8-10 characters long and contain at least one letter and one number.

If you forget your password, you can check the password reminder you selected when you chose your Desjardins Financial Security password. For additional security, access to the password reminder is hidden behind one piece of personal information. If, after getting the reminder, you still can't remember your password, please contact us Opens in a new window.. We'll reset your personal file so you can enter a new password.

After five failed attempts to log on with an incorrect password, the system will automatically block access to your Personal File. To unblock it, please contact us Opens in a new window..

Logging off

After you've finished your session, you should log off so no one can access your file. If you're going to be away from your computer, especially if you don't expect to time out, you should log off by closing your browser window.

If you forget to log off, the system will automatically log you out after a certain time has elapsed with no activity.

Passwords: the first word in security

Your password isn't something to be taken lightly. As harmless as it may seem, a weak password can easily be guessed by an impostor. By following a few simple rules, you can create passwords that will ensure your online privacy and security.

  • Always include at least one letter and one number. Including special characters (e.g. @, ?, &, etc.) makes it even more secure.
  • Avoid re-using recent passwords.
  • Don't choose obvious passwords, and avoid creating a password based on:
    • names
    • nicknames
    • children's names
    • birthdays, anniversaries
    • family information
    • telephone numbers
    • possessions
    • interests
    • dictionary words
    • dictionary words spelled backwards
    • street and city names
    • names of sport teams and local attractions
    • license plate numbers

High-tech impostors can get a substantial amount of information from dictionaries, mailing lists and social networking web sites and use it to guess your password.

To choose a strong password, try:

  • Spelling phonetically ("cat" becomes "kat")
  • Substituting letters for numbers or special characters and alternating upper case and lower case letters (e.g., "mypiano" becomes "M4P1@n0")
  • Using acronyms, including ones you make up (e.g., "Good things come to those who wait" becomes "GTCTTWW")
  • Using common words changed by moving one letter over or shifting rows on the keyboard (e.g.: "claude" becomes "clbuee" by moving the 3rd and 5th letters one to the right; "qwerty" becomes "qsefth" by selecting the 2nd, 4th and 6th letters from the lower row on the keyboard)

Effective password management

  • Use a new password every time you register for a new service
  • Don't share your password with anyone
  • Don't store passwords on your computer
  • Change your password regularly
  • If you write your password down, keep it in a safe place

Secure page certificate

During sessions in our site's secure sections, you can verify that you are actually dealing with Desjardins Financial Security (and not with an unsolicited third party) by checking the secure page certificate:

Microsoft Internet Explorer (PC users) :

Select Properties from the File menu and click on the Certificates button

If you're using a Mac or a browser other than Internet Explorer, check your browser's help menu for how to display a secure page certificate.

Your browser's encryption level and security settings

Your browser security settings are another line of defence. Browsers allow you to receive alerts or notifications if:

  • The site you're about to visit has an invalid security certificate
  • You're about to send information over an open or unsecured connection

Browser security signals

There are two ways for your browser to show you that a web page uses security measures for data transfer:

  • The URL identifying the page will always begin with "https://" instead of the regular "http://"
  • A security symbol will indicate that the website is operating in a mode that supports secure transmissions – a closed lock icon will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your Microsoft Internet Explorer browser screen (PC users)

To check your browser's encryption level:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 and higher:
    • Select About Internet Explorer from the ? menu to display the cipher strength that your browser supports (PC users)
    • Select Internet Explorer Help from the Help menu and then Security to display the cipher strength offered by your browser or consult the information displayed in the status bar in the lower left-hand corner (Mac* users)

*Macs are not supported by the Representatives' virtual office (Webi).