[LINK] A security question

[David Lochrin]

On 2013-12-18 15:23 Dr Bob wrote:

> As I said in my original email, ING and CitiBank required the use of a token and each have provided a RSA fob.

Sorry for the spam then - I should have read your email more closely before responding!

> As an aside, ING and Citibank have provided me with an RSA fob to verify who I am in certain transactions. I wonder as well if having a fob to generate a one time password is more secure (not ignoring the fact that RSA got hacked a some time ago).

Westpac will also provide an RSA SecurID fob for authorisation of withdrawals over a certain user-defined amount, though I think I had to request one.  The RSA attack was over two years ago I believe and involved theft of the database which maps each fob serial-number to its seed, so any SecurID device manufactured since shortly afterwards should be reasonably safe.


> Thanks for your email though. Also thanks for everyone else who have made suggestions. I am looking at Tails and that seems an interesting option but nothing is really secure I guess. I just have to keep a wary eye on the accounts.

I have never had any hack into my Internet banking in the 16-odd years I've had accounts (touch wood...) however I moved away from Windows many years ago and I wouldn't have an account without something-you-have access control.  If you feel able to speak about it I'd be interested to know if, and how willingly, the bank involved made up the amount of the theft?  I haven't seen any recent statistics on such crimes, but I'm amazed that the level of theft hasn't made Internet banking very much more expensive.

David L.