Access to Some Online Banking Accounts May Be Affected by a Common Type of Cyberattack

How Sunward is Responding, and What You Can Do to Protect Your Accounts

To protect our members, Sunward regularly monitors its systems for fraudulent activity. We have recently been alerted that a small number of member accounts in our online and mobile banking system have experienced a type of cyberattack in which an attacker attempts to access an account by using leaked or stolen credentials from real accounts elsewhere. 

Sunward may proactively block online and mobile banking access to accounts we have identified as being targeted by these fraudsters.

If you are locked out of online or mobile banking, you can call Sunward at 505.293.0500 or 800.947.5328 or visit a branch for assistance in resetting your credentials and regaining access. This action will help protect you against future cyberattack attempts.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO HELP PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNTS

Sunward recommends doing the following now to avoid becoming a target of this type of cyberattack:

1. Change your login credentials. Update both your username and password to new ones that you haven’t used before. Use a strong password that is not easy to guess and never re-use usernames or passwords. The U.S. government offers password creation tips here.  To change your credentials, log in to online or mobile banking with your current credentials, choose More > Settings > Security, and click the edit buttons next to USERNAME and PASSWORD to change them. If two-factor authentication is enabled for your accounts, you will need to enter the code sent to you to finalize the changes. Which leads us to our second recommendation…

2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to make it harder for cyber-criminals to gain access to your accounts. Sunward's online and mobile banking system is equipped with 2FA as an optional security feature. When enabled, in addition to entering your username and password, you will also need to enter a one-time code sent to you by email, SMS text message, voice call, or a third-party authentication app. When 2FA is enabled, even if someone has your login credentials, it’s unlikely they will also have your device or phone to receive and use the code. Learn more about enabling 2FA for your Sunward accounts.

Visit slfcu.org/Security for additional information and resources about protecting your Sunward accounts.

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