Internet Banking
Online Help
Glossary
Terms beginning with 'A'
Address
Also referred to as a URL. This is the address of the website or web page on the internet.
Account Holder
A person who maintains an Account with AIB.
Anti Virus Software
Software installed on your PC to detect and remove viruses.
Anti-virus software is only as effective as the latest update from your supplier. You should ensure that your anti-virus software is always running and is updated on a regular basis, at least weekly.
Authentication
A process used to verify an individual's identity.
Adware
A software application that can display advertising banners while the program is running or via some other triggering mechanism. Adware delivery systems are most often integrated into free applications as a way for developers to recover costs or generate revenue.
A critical eye has been placed on adware since in many cases, in addition to downloading ads, they may also upload user information collected to a third party without explicit permission.
Available Balance
The balance that is available to you to withdraw from your account. This is displayed on the 'balances' screen on your Internet Banking.
Attachment
A piece of information such as a document, presentation or image that can be added to an email and sent over the Internet.
APR
Annual Percentage Rate. The interest rate reflected as a yearly rate, taking into account points and other fees.
ATM
Automatic Teller Machine. More commonly referred to as a Cash Machine or Cash Point.
It allows a bank's customers to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances at any time without the need for a human teller
Accessibility
When used in the context of web sites, accessibility means complying with a set of internationally recognised guidelines in order to help make the web equally accessible to those with and without disabilities.
Terms beginning with 'B'
BIC
Bank Identifier Code, also known as swift address is the code necessary to send automated international payments quickly and accurately to the banks concerned. It is a mandatory requirement for EU regulated payments.
Broadband
An always-on high-speed connection to the internet which is, faster than a traditional modem and can be used for telephone calls at the same time as web browsing.
Browser
Software used to locate and display web pages e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Bluetooth
It connects mobile phones, computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) using a short-range wireless connection.
Terms beginning with 'C'
Cookies
Cookies are small files stored on a computer's hard disk so that it can remember something about you at a later time. Cookies are generally harmless and are used to record a users' preferences when using a particular site. Most browsers automatically accept cookies.
Code Card
The card issued to customers by AIB for use in conjunction with AIB Phone & Internet Banking for authentication purposes.
More information can be found about these code cards in the FAQs section of the online help.
CSA
Customer Service Adviser. An employee of AIB authorised to provide assistance to the user in relation to AIB Phone & Internet Banking.
Charges and Fees
You can find more about fees and charges on the main web site.
Cache
Your browser uses a cache to store web pages locally on your computer.
This means the next time you want to view these pages, they will be available a lot quicker.
Terms beginning with 'D'
Demo
We have a demo that highlights the key features of AIB Internet Banking which allows you to see how our service works before using it.
You can find our demo at: www.aib.ie/internetbankingdemo/
Download
Downloading is the transmission of a file from one computer to another.
To download a file is to request it from another computer or from a web page on another computer.
Care should be taken when downloading files from internet as these may contain malware.
Denial of service attack
A denial of service (DoS) attack is an incident in which a user or organization is deprived of the services of a resource they would normally expect to have.
A denial of service attack can also destroy programming and files in a computer system
Domain Name
A domain name is the unique name of a web site on the internet. Internet users access your website using your domain name.
The domain name that the online help is on is 'aib.ie'.
Terms beginning with 'E'
eCommerce
Electronic commerce. This is the buying and selling of goods and services on the internet.
Encryption
Encryption scrambles or codes information to protect it as it is sent over the internet, stopping unauthorized users from reading the information.
AIB uses 128-bit SSL Encryption, which is the industry standard.
Terms beginning with 'F'
Fraudulent Email (Phishing)
A fraudulent email is an email falsely claiming to be from a reputable financial institution or e-commerce site.
These email messages normally urge the recipient to click on a link to update their personal profile or carry out some transaction.
The links within these emails takes the victim to a fake website designed to look like the real thing. However, any personal information, financial information or logon details entered is routed directly to the scammer.
Firewall
A firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the internet.
When installed it will help prevent intruders or 'hackers' from gaining fraudulent access to your computer.
Terms beginning with 'H'
Hacker
A hacker is a person who breaks into computer systems in order to steal or destroy information.
To protect yourself from hackers you should install a firewall on your PC and keep it up-to-date.
Terms beginning with 'I'
IBAN
International Bank Account Number is a standard by which account numbers across Europe are quoted. The use of IBAN in conjunction with the beneficiary bank SWIFT address / BIC Code facilitates the automatic execution of international payments, and ensures correct identification of a receiver’s account.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is when a person or persons steals personal information such as date of birth, bank details, or driver's licence numbers to then apply for goods or services posing as you.
ISP
Internet Service Provider. The company that supplies your internet connection.
Terms beginning with 'K'
Keylogger program
A keylogger program is a piece of spyware that can record every key that you press on your keyboard while you are using your computer.
This information can then be sent to a third party to abuse.
Anti-virus software can help protect your computer from keylogging programs.
Terms beginning with 'L'
Login
The process of signing on to a given computer system.
Lodgement
Funds added to an account either through AIB Internet Banking or by other means.
Terms beginning with 'M'
Message Centre
A service provided within AIB Internet Banking that enables us to keep you updated with news, security updates, new services enhancements and other AIB product information.
We guarantee that the messages you receive are genuine as no one other than AIB can contact you through the message centre.
MakeITsecure
A government initiative to educate the public about the risks of using the internet in the areas of online fraud, identity theft and child safety.
Malware
The word is derived from 'MALicious softWARE'.
It is software designed to destroy, aggravate, wreak havoc, hide potentially incrimination information, and/or disrupt and damage computer systems.
Terms beginning with 'O'
Open Payment
A payment to a bank account not on your internet banking profile, held either in AIB or in another Financial Institution.
Operating System
The software platform on which all your computer applications such as Internet Explorer run on.
Terms beginning with 'P'
Payment Log
A list of all your bill payments, mobile phone top ups etc that you have made using the AIB Phone & Internet Banking service, including a record of forward bill payments that have not yet been processed.
Phishing
The name given to emails claiming to be from a reputable financial institution or e-commerce site that urges the recipient to click on a link to update their personal profile or carry out some transaction.
Pharming
The name given to the scamming practice in which malicious code is installed on a personal computer or server, misdirecting users to fraudulent Web sites without their knowledge or consent.
Pharming has been called "phishing without a lure."
PAC
Personal Access Code. This is your secret number that you will be asked to enter, parts of, when you sign onto AIB Phone & Internet Banking as part of the authentication process.
Never reveal your PAC details to anyone. AIB will never email you requesting your Banking or Logon Details.
Patch
Patches, or security updates, are issued when security vulnerabilities are found in operating systems or browser software.
Patches are designed to fix vulnerabilities and you can download them via the internet.
AIB recommended that you keep your computer safe by regularly applying any genuine security patches.
Pop ups
Internet advertisements that open-up in new windows while you are surfing the internet.
Padlock
The symbol that appears at the bottom of your browser window to show you that you are visiting a secure web page.
Privacy Policy
Details on how a company keeps it's customer information private.
A privacy policy should also say what is collected, how it is shared and why it's collected.
PDA
Personal digital assistants. A term for any small mobile hand-held device that provides computing and information storage and retrieval capabilities for personal or business use, often for keeping schedule calendars and address book information handy.
Terms beginning with 'R'
Registration Number
An 8 digit number issued to you by AIB that you will be asked to enter when you sign onto AIB Phone & Internet Banking as part of the authentication process.
Terms beginning with 'S'
Spyware
A program that collects information about your activity on the internet and transmits that information to someone else.
It is often installed without your knowledge after you have clicked on a link or attachment contained within a fraudulent email.
Symptoms include your computer running slower, unwanted 'pop-up' windows or being redirected to web sites that you didn't intend to visit.
Search Engine
A tool for locating information stored within a set area e.g., a personal computer or the internet.
Spam
The indiscriminate sending of unsolicited, unwanted, irrelevant or inappropriate messages. Commercial advertising in mass quantities is also considered spam.
Spoofing
The use of fraudulent web sites designed to look like legitimate ones in an attempt to capture personal details.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
A system for encrypting data sent over the internet.
Secure Sessions
When you log in to Internet Banking you are said to be in a "secure session".
You can tell if you're accessing a secure web site when the address begins with 'https', and a closed padlock appears on your browser window (in Internet Explorer it is at the bottom right-hand side of your screen).
Depending on your browser, a pop-up window may appear to let you know you that you will be entering a secure page.
Shoulder surfing
Shoulder surfing is when someone looks over your shoulder to observe what you are doing on a computer or ATM.
Beware of anyone standing or sitting closely behind you, as this is one of the easiest ways of obtaining your PAC, passwords, PIN or other personal details.
Security Certificate
Site certificates form an essential part of providing reassurance that the site you are visiting is genuine.
A site certificate shows you that a secure connection has been established and secure communication can take place. It will also demonstrate that you are not being tricked to enter your details on a fraudulent website.
Swift Address
Swift Address, also known as SWIFT BIC, is the code necessary to send automated international payments quickly and accurately to the banks concerned.
SP Reference
‘SP’ stands for ‘Sent Payment’. An SP reference is a unique bank reference that is applied to your payment once the instruction has been accepted for processing by International Payments Processing area. If you have any queries relating to international payments, please ensure to quote the SP reference.
Terms beginning with 'T'
Time out
A session time out is an automatic disconnection, for security reasons, from any secure internet session after a period of inactivity.
Trojan horse
A Trojan horse program is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign application; it purposefully does something the user does not expect.
Trojans are not viruses since they do not replicate, but Trojan horse programs can be just as destructive and may be spread as a result of a viral infection. Common Trojans are keyloggers.
Terms beginning with 'U'
Utilities
The collective name for service suppliers (e.g. gas, electricity, phone).
you can set up and pay a large number of utility bills using AIB Phone & Internet Banking.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a website, web page or resource on the internet.
Terms beginning with 'V'
Virus
A software program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge.
Viruses can be used to delete files on your PC, and disrupt the operation of your system.
Viruses are now mainly spread by emails and by file sharing services
Terms beginning with 'W'
WWW
World wide web.
Worm
A worm is a harmful program, similar to a virus.
Instead of attaching itself to an email or program, it travels across computer networks. It may cause damage to the computers on the network and affect computer performance.
Web address
Also know as the URL, it's the address of a website, web page or resource on the internet.