ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Centura Bank (NYSE: CBC) will
offer secure Internet banking to its customers by the end of this year through
an agreement announced today with Security First Technologies (S1), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Security First Network Bank (Nasdaq: SFNB). S1 is a
leading provider of Internet banking services and is noted for its expertise
in military-grade security for Internet transactions.
    Centura was the first bank in North Carolina and one of the first in the
nation to offer online banking and bill payment services through popular
personal finance software. Centura is one of nine of the 100 largest U.S.
banks to sign agreements to offer Internet banking using S1's Virtual Bank
Manager and Virtual Credit Card Manager applications.
    "This agreement will provide our customers with a wide range of banking
services over the Internet at the highest level of security available on the
market today," said Cecil W. Sewell, Centura's chairman and chief executive
officer. "We remain committed to providing our customers with convenient
access to their money in a way that meets their needs and provides value. We
are confident this technology will improve service and convenience to
customers and that they can feel good about the security of their
transactions."
    Centura customers will be able to access their Internet banking and credit
card accounts from anywhere in the world using any secure, Internet-enabled
device, including computers and personal digital assistants, as well as future
secure browser devices such as WebTV, Web phones and public kiosks.
    With Centura's Internet banking, customers will be able to access
checking, savings and money market accounts over the Internet.  In addition,
they will be able to pay bills electronically; transfer funds between
accounts; review automatically reconciled check registers and statements;
generate and customize reports; and interact with customer service
representatives via e-mail regarding both financial and technology-related
inquiries.  Customers also will be able to download account information into
popular personal finance software such as Quicken and Microsoft Money.
    Customers will be able to access current credit card balances and payment
and transaction history information over the Internet. Credit card data can be
linked to other Internet accounts, which will allow Centura customers to pay
their credit card bills instantly from their Internet checking accounts.
They will even be able to schedule payment of their monthly credit card bills
-- either minimum balance, entire balance or a specified amount -- to occur
automatically on the due date.  In addition, the electronic bill presentment
capabilities will enable customers to view current posted credit card
transactions online at anytime and transaction categories will help them track
their spending.
    S1's proven, military-grade security architecture incorporates the same
security technologies as those used for more than a decade by the U.S.
Department of Defense to protect the flight plans for the B2 bomber and other
highly-secure government programs. The multi-layered security architecture
includes encryption, firewalls and filtering routers, and B-1 level server
security for the most comprehensive, end-to-end protection.
    When Internet Banking is introduced by the end of 1997, Centura will
continue to offer online banking and bill payment services through Quicken and
Microsoft Money software. Centura and S1 also will be developing new Internet
applications to allow customers to handle brokerage, insurance, corporate
cash management transactions and more.
    With assets of $6.4 billion, Centura provides a complete line of banking,
investment, insurance and trust services to individuals and businesses
throughout North Carolina. Centura provides financial services through: 172
financial stores, including 19 supermarkets; more than 265 ATMs, including
most N.C. Wal-Mart and Sam's stores; the Centura Highway telephone center;
Quicken, QuickBooks and Microsoft Money software. Centura is currently
updating its web site at http://www.centura.com.
    Security First Technologies (S1)(TM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
world's first Internet bank, Security First Network Bank (Nasdaq: SFNB).
Drawing on more than a decade of experience in designing network security
solutions for government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and commercial
entities, S1 provides comprehensive Internet software solutions for financial
services institutions and other industries.

Link to this page: