Security Tips

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) is committed to keeping your information and data safe, and ensuring that your identity is kept confidential. Our teams are continuously working to protect you online and off.  

Here are some helpful tips and tricks to help you protect yourself.

Phishing scams

  • BCBSKS will not make unsolicited phone calls requesting confidential information.  The only time we will call you is if we are returning a phone call that you initiated.  If you receive a phone call from someone saying they are a representative of BCBSKS and you are suspicious or do not feel comfortable, please hang up and contact us directly.

Additional steps that you can take to protect all your personal information

  • Create difficult passwords for online access to your bank, bill payment and other web-based services, including BlueAccess. Make sure it is at least 8 characters long and includes numbers, lowercase letters and at least one uppercase letter. Change your password frequently and pick something that cannot easily be guessed. Never write down or share your passwords or PINs with anyone.  Don't use the same password for multiple websites.

  • Using antivirus software is very important for your home and business computers. Once you have it installed, your job isn’t done. Make sure to run periodic scans and update the software with new releases. If available, it is also important to install the same type of safeguards on your mobile devices.

  • Ensure that you have your computer set to receive automatic updates.  This will allow your machine to be automatically updated with any new urgent security patches that are released.

  • Always avoid emailing personal information, such as your Social Security Number or account numbers. A good rule of thumb is to never email anything that you don’t want to see posted somewhere or in the hands of someone else.

  • If you are using a smart phone, check to see if your phone has the ability to run an antivirus. If so, install it and run periodic scans. Regardless of the manufacturer, be sure to install software updates just as you would with your PC. Using a password to protect your device is also recommended.

  • Social media is becoming a significant target for cyber-criminals to gain access to personal information. Be leery of links posted on social network sites, sometimes these links are the opening for criminals to install viruses or steal data. Be cautious of all information you disclose on these sites regardless of your security settings.

  • Use caution when opening unsolicited emails and attachments. Viruses can be passed along via email and harm your computer.

  • Report lost or stolen cards, including credit cards and member ID cards, immediately.

  • Use a credit reporting agency to check your credit report often.

Online security terms

  • For your protection, we use a process called SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to secure online sessions taking place on secure pages. SSL encryption converts our Internet secure page communication between you and  us  into a string of encrypted characters. Only we and your computer can decode the information.

  • BCBSKS utilizes two-factor authentication when you log in to our website.  This requires you to provide something you know (user name and password) as well as something you have (a secure code submitted to  you through email).

Report a Security Issue

  • If you're a security researcher and believe you found a security issue with any BCBSKS services, email the details of your findings to [email protected].
  • Please use our Secure Email Message Center so that we can protect that information.
  • Please review our Privacy & Legal section and don't violate anyone's privacy, interfere with anyone's account, or destroy any data. Please don't interrupt or degrade our services. Please provide a reasonable amount of time to respond before publicly disclosing your findings.