Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an unreadable format that is more secure for transmission over the Internet. Very similar to a secret code, encryption takes your data and uses complex mathematical equations called algorithms to scramble the information into an unreadable format called ciphertext. The ciphertext is impossible to read without having a key to unscramble the information to its original form.

Information is scrambled or encrypted at the client side (your browser) and then unscrambled or decrypted at the server side. The two most common levels of encryption are 40-bit and 128-bit and they have both been implemented commercially on popular browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The encryption we use during online sessions to transmit your financial data is based on the highest level of security currently available in North America, to prevent the risk of the information being intercepted and read by a third party.