Internet Banking - a subject for giggles?

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Internet Banking - a subject for giggles?
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Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 9:09 am Post subject: Internet Banking - a subject for giggles?

I just spoke to my bank about setting up internet banking. During the course of the conversation I mentioned that I have real concerns about the overall security of the internet in general and therefore IB in particular. He said that it is secure, to which I replied that teenagers in their bedrooms have hacked into the Pentagon before now. He Laughed & said "yes I am aware that there are some really clever people out there who really know how to scam people" and laughed again (giggled really).

I was not reassured.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 9:16 am Post subject:
Internet banking is safer than cheques, if that makes you feel any better about it

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 9:26 am Post subject:

If your bank is hacked then you are no less likely to lose money for not having used internet banking than if you had.

If you use internet banking and your account is hacked then it is more likely to be fault of your PC than due to a security issue in the internet itself.

If you really want to use internet banking safely then just employ good practices at your computers (mostly don't install dodgy software, unnecessary browser plugins, open dodgy emails, never trust a link in an email etc.) The internet and internet banking themselves are not a particular security risk.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 11:05 am Post subject:

Actually, I meant this thread to be about the fact that my bank sees fit to employ someone in their internet banking helpline who giggles when asked about internet security.

However, since we are discussing the relative security of IB, I'll agree with your comment about if the bank being hacked, (or if we turn into a Mediterranean island), but

JB wrote:

The internet and internet banking themselves are not a particular security risk.

Yes they are in as much as it's another way into our account. Any door can be opened if you try hard enough.

JB wrote:

If you really want to use internet banking safely then just employ good practices at your computers (mostly don't install dodgy software, unnecessary browser plugins, open dodgy emails, never trust a link in an email etc.)

Basically what I do already, but what this means is that if I inadvertently click a link or open an email which looked OK, but turns out to be spam, I'm at extra risk..... See what I said earlier about any door can be opened.
Surely I'd be safer if I didn't have internet banking? (except the Gumment wants me to have it so that we can join RTI)

You say never to trust links in emails but what about links in emails which are sent so that you can change your password etc - I've had a few of those in the past - I choose to 'trust' them because I know that I've joined a forum & need to click to activate, or I've forgotten my password & need to re-set it and am fairly sure that the email is in response to me clicking the 'forgotten password' link as I try to log in somewhere - are you saying that I shouldn't ever click them? (For clarity, I should explain that I don't mean the unsolicited emails from 'banks' telling me to click to restore my account, I mean genuine ones where I've actually tried to log in & had a pop-up which says "We've sent you a link")

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 11:11 am Post subject:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Actually, I meant this thread to be about the fact that my bank sees fit to employ someone in their internet banking helpline who giggles when asked about internet security.

I would issue a complaint to your bank, and consider changing.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 11:21 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Actually, I meant this thread to be about the fact that my bank sees fit to employ someone in their internet banking helpline who giggles when asked about internet security.

I would issue a complaint to your bank, and consider changing.

I would if I thought there was any difference between them...

I was put through to the IB helpline after a conversation about something else - after the usual period on hold I got an automated message thanking me for phoning a different bank's IB helpline. When the operator / giggler answered a moment later I queried the message and was told that they are both part of the same group.

So really there's probably only one or two banks in this country these days, and they are both as bad as each other.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 12:00 pm Post subject:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Actually, I meant this thread to be about the fact that my bank sees fit to employ someone in their internet banking helpline who giggles when asked about internet security.

However, since we are discussing the relative security of IB, I'll agree with your comment about if the bank being hacked, (or if we turn into a Mediterranean island), but

JB wrote:

The internet and internet banking themselves are not a particular security risk.

Yes they are in as much as it's another way into our account. Any door can be opened if you try hard enough.

JB wrote:

For links in emails then do not click on the link but cut and paste the link. That way you avoid issues where the displayed text and the link address differ. As to the internet not being a particular security risk I would stand by that statement as the main security risks arise from the end points (your PC and your bank) and not the fact that the internet connects them. Yes it is possible to attack security by intercepting that part of the link but to worry about that would be akin to worrying about your car being stolen while you're driving it. It's possible but not the most likely of problems.

Last edited by Jb on Mon Apr 08, 13 12:02 pm; edited 1 time in total

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 12:01 pm Post subject:
Lots of people employed in banking have senses of humour, the one who reckons that a bounced DD costs the bank �15 is having a laugh. How to do internet banking safetly: https://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/10/avoid_windows_malware_bank_on.html#

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 2:40 pm Post subject:

Last month my online banking was somehow hacked. The first I knew about it was when the bank called to check on some suspicious activity.
So we had a bit of a chat, the card was cancelled and I thought it was all sorted out...
But yesterday I logged onto my online banking to find there has been activity going on since then which I am not doing.
I am not planning to worry about it: as far as I am concerned, the card has been cancelled and it is unarguably their problem.

In some ways, it has given me greater confidence in the system: fraud is usually spotted easily and dealt with.
But it occurs to me that if the fraudsters ever learn to be subtle, then there might be a problem: if they only took a small amount at a time, then they have a fairly good chance of not getting caught at all.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 3:20 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

I'm confused, was it a card or your internet banking that was the problem?

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 3:25 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Hairyloon wrote:

I'm confused, was it a card or your internet banking that was the problem?

Both I think.
It seems they were spending on the card, and hacked the online banking to pay off the card, presumably to spend some more.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 3:31 pm Post subject:
Blimey.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 4:06 pm Post subject:

JB wrote:

For links in emails then do not click on the link but cut and paste the link. That way you avoid issues where the displayed text and the link address differ.

Tiptastic advice, thanks

(I think I did know that, but had forgotten, so extra thanks for the reminder)

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 4:15 pm Post subject:
If you are worried, then the advice is to get a Linux LiveCD and do your online banking on that. They are all but impregnable to any kind of infection.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Apr 08, 13 4:37 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

If you are worried, then the advice is to get a Linux LiveCD and do your online banking on that.
They are all but impregnable to any kind of infection.

Linux LiveCD? err, again in non-techy speak please

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