How we protect you online

Keeping your personal information secure

Your information is kept by Yorkshire Building Society for as long as necessary to operate your accounts. All forms and online account pages, i.e. those pages that show or collect your information, use Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 with  AES 256 encryption which is the strongest level of encryption currently available to the public.

Encryption makes your information unreadable to anyone who might intercept it.

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

"Transport Layer Security" is a commonly used method of managing the security of information transmitted across the Internet and is used by us whenever we ask you to enter any personal information, including passwords. Before it connects with a website, your browser uses TLS to check the website’s TLS certificate. TLS certificates show that a server adheres to the current security standards. 

You can tell that TLS is in use when a small padlock icon appears on your browser status bar.

Multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication provides you with an enhanced level of security when logging in and making transactions online, by confirming your identity in more than one way.

We may ask you to undertake some extra steps to confirm it’s really you accessing your account online. We will verify this by either sending you a code via text message, or automating a call to your landline. You might be familiar with our multi-factor authentication service already, or use similar services with other financial providers.

If you receive a message or call you were not expecting, please contact us straight away on a number you know is genuine.

Email

You should note that ordinary email is not secure. Please do not send us any confidential information via email. Similarly, we will not use email to send confidential information about your accounts to you unless you specifically request, and agree to, this.

Confirming online requests

When you request a transaction or other change online, we may occasionally contact you by telephone to check the details. It is therefore important that you keep us informed if you change your number, and wherever possible provide more than one number on which you can be contacted.

As online requests are also confirmed by email, make sure we have your correct email address and check your inbox regularly for new messages.

If you receive an email about a payment you haven’t requested, please contact us immediately, on a number you know to be genuine.

Using passwords

In addition to the use of TLS, you will need to provide security passwords to access the secure parts of the site. You choose your own passwords when you set up your online account.

Remember that your password is the key to your account. Make sure that you look after your password and keep it secret.

Monitoring our security arrangements

Our website is constantly monitored for security problems. We also regularly review our security arrangements in line with latest developments in the technology available

YBS Share Plan Schemes

Our website enables YBS Share Plan customers to register their application to join a share plan scheme. In order to make the share plan scheme as accessible as possible a more open verification method is used than would be required if we were to provide update or enquiry access. The verification method is based upon the information provided to the Yorkshire Building Society by the employees' company.

The Yorkshire Building Society will only use email to confirm your application has been registered.​