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Online banking keypad to beat crims: Westpac

By Steven Deare, ZDNet Australia on February 13th, 2006 

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jennings, online, sign-in, westpac, key-stroke, banking, logging, fraud, keypad

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Westpac has introduced an on-screen keypad for Internet banking sign-in, in what the bank says is an effort to combat key-stroke logging fraud.

The bank said the new online keypad, which replaces the old sign-in page, would tighten security for its 1.9 million Internet banking customers by removing the use of a keyboard to enter passwords.

Cybercriminals have devised ways of recording keystrokes entered on a Web page, and have in the past used this to capture online banking customers' passwords.

"The online keypad uses special technology to scramble Customer IDs and passwords and prevent those attempting fraud from capturing entered information," said Westpac head of channel and systems management, Paul Jennings.

Westpac claimed to be the first major bank to introduce the initiative, although keypads are already used by other industry players, such as ING.

Jennings said Westpac would continue to investigate further security initiatives for its online banking service.

Talkback

All well and good but...

...Then people will result into loading VNC servers or of the like to capture. Obviously it will reduce, but maybe they should look into a password that changes every minute or something. Most keyloggers also gain mouse movements and which windows are loaded. It wouldn't take that long to replay back what's sent...

The security tokens are working well I believe...

Orb!terOrb!ter February 14th, 2006
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Hardly new

HSBC have already moved on from this 'new' idea and implemented two-factor authentication. It's hardly cutting edge Westpac and more a half-hearted attempt at security.

steve.sherwoodsteve.sherwood February 14th, 2006
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It's a step backward

I agree with the sentiments already expressed in the comments... this is a major step backwards.

- It opens up the way for screen loggers and mouse click loggers, which although not as common as key loggers, they will just become more common if this practice is used more. When at an internet cafe, I would type my password in random order, and copy and paste certain letters from elsewhere on the page, to ensure that nothing could track me. There is now NO way I get get around this, and hence is less secure.

- I often log in to internet banking at work, now I can't unless I look around my shoulder every second to make sure no one is looking. It would be incredibly easy for anyone to remember my six digit limited case insensitive password after seeing it once or twice.

- It now takes me longer to log in to online banking, because I can't click around on a screen as fast as I can type.

I complained to Westpac about all this, and received a response telling me that they consider this more secure, they won't change, and that they consider their six digit case insensitive passwords secure also.

If only they could give us a choice - even make the new signin screen the default, but let Internet savvy users choose the old way.

They shouldn't force their users into a box....

tdmalonetdmalone February 14th, 2006
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Westpac Security

I'm a very senior lady who relies on Internet Banking as I can't leave the house. Currently I use Netbank, ING, AMP Banking & Westpac. They are all "just" satisfactory but Westpac has recently taken a backward step. The mouse input is very slow and if they must use this method the keypad has to be a moving one similar to ING.
I have an RSA SecurID but unfortunately this is only used when you wish to withdraw an amount higher than daily limit. Westpac should issue these tokens to everyone using internet banking so that they can be used for initial logon. The small fee we pay is worth it for the peace of mind.
Harking back to ING, although their keypad moves, they need to instigate something more sophisticated than a four digit (numerals only) password.
AMP have a twelve digit customer number and a six digit password which must be an alpha/numeric mix.

Joybelle63Joybelle63 March 6th, 2006
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Security Device

HSBC give their users an security device that generates a random 6 digit keycode which must be used in conjunction with your username and password. As far as I know, this greatly increases the security for users

asmith7asmith7 March 14th, 2006
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westpac is terrible

Westpac is just terrible, thanks to their ongoing cutbacks their branches are declining in number, the amount of tellers in each bank is declining and customers have to wait sometimes up to 20 minutes in long lines just to bank a cheque (like i did in their strathfield office), their cut backs are diluting their services to the point they are completely degraded.

In the branches they encourage customers to use their online banking but just like the branches that is terrible too - its often down for many hours at a time, every week!!

It seems like the profit hungry westpac can justify their ongoing cut backs and resulting poor service becuase they feel that their customer are ignorant fools who are more than happy to endure 'their cattle class treatment'.

I am going to a credit union !

gfdggfdg September 4th, 2007
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