Computer security and mobile phones - banking etc.

[Dave2002]

When will someone tell banks and other organisations that sending confirmation codes via SMS with letters such as Q, 0, O, D
and 5, S, and I, 1 is just nonsensical, particularly when many of us are (sadly) getting eyesight problems, and still using mobile phones from the last decade?

It is seemingly obvious that user testing is low on banks' priority lists, though the news that RBS was deliberately mismanaging business accounts in order to increase profits does tend to show where their priorities lie. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37591335

[Ferretfancy]

I simply will not use online banking, it's too fraught with risks and it's easy to make mistakes. I'm currently acting as an executor and dealing with a number of building societies etc. They all want me to go online, but sorting paper documents is so much easier. I suppose the time comes near when we won't have any choice.

[teamsaint]

I simply will not use online banking, it's too fraught with risks and it's easy to make mistakes. I'm currently acting as an executor and dealing with a number of building societies etc. They all want me to go online, but sorting paper documents is so much easier. I suppose the time comes near when we won't have any choice.

I agree FF. My PC picked up a Phishing virus a few years ago, despite a reputable and paid for security system on my PC.

I'm a bit hesitant to recommend a service by a massive bank, but I do find First Direct's phone banking a very good service, with none of the dangers of going online. Certainly works well for basic services such as paying bills, transferring money, regular banking etc.
Excellent customer service too, in my experience.

[Bryn]

I agree FF. My PC picked up a Phishing virus a few years ago, despite a reputable and paid for security system on my PC.

I'm a bit hesitant to recommend a service by a massive bank, but I do find First Direct's phone banking a very good service, with none of the dangers of going online. Certainly works well for basic services such as paying bills, transferring money, regular banking etc.
Excellent customer service too, in my experience.

Does one not have to take the bait to be caught by a phishing attack?

[oddoneout]

Does one not have to take the bait to be caught by a phishing attack?

Yes, but the bait is very convincing.

[Dave2002]

Yes, but the bait is very convincing.

Possibly yes.

Watch out for any suggestions to change passwords due to "suspicious activity". If that happens it may be wise to do the password change, but from a completely different machine, and if using a browser, make sure it's a different one, and perhaps even clear the cache first. Definitely do not follow any "helpful" links from within any email. If you have a key logger installed (not by you, but by some ****** elsewhere in the world, the remote site may be able to spot as you change your password. Just call me paranoid - I know some round here do - but it's clear that this sort of thing happens. Security agencies can do it, and will, but recent news items suggest that they're not the only ones with the skills - or the security agency may not be a "friendly" one.

I discovered recently that using Chrome on my MBP does seem to feed info to Google, which gets remembered. Since I use that quite a lot, it would perhaps make sense to do any password change on machines I use infrequently, and not from within the Chrome browser. I always try to avoid having any browser remember any password - but I suppose sneaky ones may/could just do that anyway!

I made two purchases recently - both using PayPal. To make the first work I had to change my password, and set up new details. To my surprise, and somewhat to my horror, the second to a different organisation "just happened" without any further authorisation from me. There may be settings to avoid this, but given that I didn't want that to happen, that indicates a possible serious security problem for on-line banking users. Also, some users are really not clued up, and make things easy for the bad guys - but even aware people can be caught out.

[Anastasius]

Yes, but the bait is very convincing.

But if the 'wetware' between the ears is functioning properly then the bait will not be taken.

[Anastasius]

Possibly yes.

Watch out for any suggestions to change passwords due to "suspicious activity". If that happens it may be wise to do the password change, but from a completely different machine, and if using a browser, make sure it's a different one, and perhaps even clear the cache first. Definitely do not follow any "helpful" links from within any email. If you have a key logger installed (not by you, but by some ****** elsewhere in the world, the remote site may be able to spot as you change your password. Just call me paranoid - I know some round here do - but it's clear that this sort of thing happens. Security agencies can do it, and will, but recent news items suggest that they're not the only ones with the skills - or the security agency may not be a "friendly" one.

I discovered recently that using Chrome on my MBP does seem to feed info to Google, which gets remembered. Since I use that quite a lot, it would perhaps make sense to do any password change on machines I use infrequently, and not from within the Chrome browser. I always try to avoid having any browser remember any password - but I suppose sneaky ones may/could just do that anyway!

I made two purchases recently - both using PayPal. To make the first work I had to change my password, and set up new details. To my surprise, and somewhat to my horror, the second to a different organisation "just happened" without any further authorisation from me. There may be settings to avoid this, but given that I didn't want that to happen, that indicates a possible serious security problem for on-line banking users. Also, some users are really not clued up, and make things easy for the bad guys - but even aware people can be caught out.

There are plenty of add-ons to prevent 'leakage' such as the one you mention. I use Ghostery and that blocks all leakage. I also have 'nuked' Googles incessant calling home to check for updates.

I'll use online banking on my Mac as the end to end system is very secure but I would not do so either on a smartphone or on a PC.

[MrGongGong]

I simply will not use online banking, it's too fraught with risks and it's easy to make mistakes. I'm currently acting as an executor and dealing with a number of building societies etc. They all want me to go online, but sorting paper documents is so much easier. I suppose the time comes near when we won't have any choice.

My somewhat elderly parents (NOT that i'm suggesting it's something to do with age!!) have this view
my take on it is more that they DO use online banking, it's just that they don't do it themselves and let the person in the bank (who maybe failed maths GCSE and was up till 3am clubbing) do the inputs for them.... hummmmmm I'd sooner trust my (sober) self.

[Bryn]

My somewhat elderly parents (NOT that i'm suggesting it's something to do with age!!) have this view
my take on it is more that they DO use online banking, it's just that they don't do it themselves and let the person in the bank (who maybe failed maths GCSE and was up till 3am clubbing) do the inputs for them.... hummmmmm I'd sooner trust my (sober) self.

Very much with you there. I only learned of the embossed printing I the bottom right corner of the front of £20 and £50 notes when so advised by a bank counter assistant who had taken a dodgy £50 the previous day. Until then she too had been unaware of the security feature. Whether she or the bank bore the loss she did not say, but the failure of the bank to have trained her fully in such a matter spoke volumes.

[Anastasius]

I simply will not use online banking, it's too fraught with risks and it's easy to make mistakes. I'm currently acting as an executor and dealing with a number of building societies etc. They all want me to go online, but sorting paper documents is so much easier. I suppose the time comes near when we won't have any choice.

I think that Gloria Hunniford would beg to differ seeing as how £100,000 was removed from her account by someone pretending to be her went into a Santander branch and did precisely that.