Trusteer?

[oddoneout]

I have a "Bath phone number".

Do you keep a WC1 number for emergencies?

[gradus]

I have just noticed a Trusteer icon at the top of the screen telling me that for3.org is unprotected and offering to 'protect' the site. I think I'll ignore it, would more technically literate colleagues agree?

[Dave2002]

An "area code" in a phone number is therefore no indication of where that home is located and hasn't been so for years.

Indeed, and this can be useful (very) for businesses, though not so helpful for emergency services such as the fire brigade in the event of problems.

[Anastasius]

I have just noticed a Trusteer icon at the top of the screen telling me that for3.org is unprotected and offering to 'protect' the site. I think I'll ignore it, would more technically literate colleagues agree?

Yes.

[Dave2002]

I have just noticed a Trusteer icon at the top of the screen telling me that for3.org is unprotected and offering to 'protect' the site. I think I'll ignore it, would more technically literate colleagues agree?

Do you normally order stuff, or bank with this site?

Thought not.

Yes. (until someone figures out how to misuse the site for some other purposes ...)

[Anastasius]

It does beg the question, though, as to where and how this warning from Trusteer is coming in. I don't see it when I browse for3.org. I think that Gradus has Rapport installed on his computer. If so Gradus then my advice is to get rid of it.

[ahinton]

It does beg the question, though, as to where and how this warning from Trusteer is coming in. I don't see it when I browse for3.org. I think that Gradus has Rapport installed on his computer. If so Gradus then my advice is to get rid of it.

I was recently advised to install this but it cased several problems so I uninstalled it, but anyone else wishing to uninstall it should be wary of the fact that it uninstalls very untidily and leaves detritus that needs searched out and deleted post-uninstallation.

[Anastasius]

Mac or PC version ? Reason for asking is that the Mac version comes with an Uninstaller.

[gradus]

Many thanks for the replies. Trusteer is loaded as Natwest goaded me into it. Someone remarked upthread that if one gets ripped off by a hacker the absence of Trusteer might prejudice one's position re compensation from the bank. Who knows but I'm keeping it for the bank access, unless it is a positive liability.

[Anastasius]

Well, a lot of people have a lot of problems with this wretched piece of software that, to be honest IMO is not necessary. One thing for sure is that your computer will run a lot faster without this piece of rubbish installed.

[Dave2002]

I do believe that browser in the middle attacks are real. I don't knpw whether the particular "anti" software is any good, or a piece of rubbish which will slow one's machine down - or not, but I thought it was supposed to be a lightweight tool - though it may be implemented badly, and problems may have been reported. I have been told by someone on the banking side - a software developer - that some problems are real and special measures are desirable, but whether the ones mentioned here are suitable I can't say.

Re only giving (say) 3 out of 8 or more characters on request which some banks try, I personally believe that a smart scammer could figure a way round that. Did anyone hear the recent discussion (Today programme?) in which someone claimed that it is actually pretty easy to get all the information required to wreak havoc on other people's bank accounts and credit cards? I fear that may well be correct, though won't advertise it unduly.

[Anastasius]

I do believe that browser in the middle attacks are real. I don't knpw whether the particular "anti" software is any good, or a piece of rubbish which will slow one's machine down - or not, but I thought it was supposed to be a lightweight tool - though it may be implemented badly, and problems may have been reported. I have been told by someone on the banking side - a software developer - that some problems are real and special measures are desirable, but whether the ones mentioned here are suitable I can't say.

Re only giving (say) 3 out of 8 or more characters on request which some banks try, I personally believe that a smart scammer could figure a way round that. Did anyone hear the recent discussion (Today programme?) in which someone claimed that it is actually pretty easy to get all the information required to wreak havoc on other people's bank accounts and credit cards? I fear that may well be correct, though won't advertise it unduly.

Dave, you're mixing up so much stuff here.

Giving 3 out of x letters is pretty damn foolproof. No evidence of that being beaten. The banks' systems will lock out any brute-force (guessing) attempts.

You mean 'Man in the middle' not browser in the middle. It's rare. I doubt that Rapport will do anything any better than what is already there - both on your Mac and with the bank.

Your reference in regard to VISA aka 'we design our systems poorly'. 'Wreaking havoc' is both emotive and wrong. It was Newcastle University in an academic paper who wrote some software to put into practice what they had identified as a fundamental weakness in VISA - despite all the protestations. VISA does NOT have any central mechanism for tracking failed login attempts across multiple websites. Mastercard does. So the Newcastle team were able to go to ecommerce site A, try this card number, this expiry date, this security (CVV or CSC) number. If it fails try again with a different variant. Ultimately the ecommerce site will lock you out. So you go on to the next ecommerce site and carry on. VISA does diddly squat about recognising this. If you have a VISA card then ditch it. Tragically my bank account uses VISA debit which is just as vulnerable.

Ot was the same team at Newcastle who identified the fundamental flaws in VISA's contactless card systems that were supposed to prevent (a) multiple payments and (b) limited amounts. Newcastle beat both.

Current score -

Newcastle University - 2 VISA - nil

VISA's systems are shite. End of.

And , yes, Rapport does slow your systems down. Just like any other AV package. I've ditched Sophos on my Mac. Like buying a new one.

[Dave2002]

You're partly right - I meant man in the browser I think - see http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bro...&client=safari

Also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-browser

[ahinton]

Mac or PC version ? Reason for asking is that the Mac version comes with an Uninstaller.

PC (as you might indeed have guessed). I simply found that, having uninstalled it, stuff was left behind, which was irritating. Anyway, it's gone now - and good riddance!

[Dave2002]

I can understand 'porting' to keep one's old home phone number. What I'm much less happy about is a businessman in Norfolk getting a St Austell (say) phone number without any roots in the place. Perhaps the thin end of this wedge was national companies that genuinely served the whole country wanting to look 'local' in every area: still a bit of a porky but not an actionable one.

Why should that concern you?

What concerns me more is the stupidity of having a London address and phone number being good for business, but this aspect of image it seems is all too true. I heard of one person - to exaggerate slightly - operating out of a shed or garage in Staffordshire whose business took off when he adopted a London postal address and a phone number to match. Naturally he did not relocate!

Also, even in the London area some firms were getting lots of good adverts and actually providing quite good supply services in the days when computer accessories were starting to kick off. Sometimes these turned out effectively to be private residences - not always particularly smart- and the owners had converted them into mini warehouses - and why not?! That wasn't the image they created in the glossy magazines though - but if they were providing a decent service is there really any strong reason why people shouldn't have bought from them?

What is wrong with running a business from Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford or Newcastle? Even Hull! But adding London to a firm's list of outlets does seem to give business a boost.

Sad!