Who's looking at your internet banking password ?

KingL

So now that the government has got your Icesave login details, it'll only be a matter of weeks before someone leaves them on a memory stick on a train/in a pub, etc.

Is your Icesave password the same as the one you use on any other banking sites? If so, maybe this is a good time revisit your password security and start changing some of your other passwords.


A few pointers:

How to pick a strong password

A thread on some software to securely record several complex passwords (note that you might be infringing the T&Cs of your account if you store passwords anywhere other than your brain)

Somes threads on software to encrypt computers and remote storage devices. Computers ... USB Storage Devices


Please post any other security tips you have

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nilrem_2

Strong passwords is a difficult one TBH, choose one that is easy for you to remember and it's not going to be really secure, OTOH create a really complicated password that most people won't guess and is very secure and what do most people do? Well of course they write it down so they won't forget and then it becomes less secure than a simple one! Many people actually have their passwords on a post it note attached to their monitor!:eek:

StevieJ

nilrem wrote: »

Strong passwords is a difficult one TBH, choose one that is easy for you to remember and it's not going to be really secure, OTOH create a really complicated password that most people won't guess and is very secure and what do most people do? Well of course they write it down so they won't forget and then it becomes less secure than a simple one! Many people actually have their passwords on a post it note attached to their monitor!:eek:

I have a common password for accounts that are not financially sensitive, and I write down the others but I don't identify what they relate to. My pin numbers are written down in a sequence that are jumbled e.g. every second number (not what I actually use).

PZH

nilrem wrote: »

Strong passwords is a difficult one TBH, choose one that is easy for you to remember and it's not going to be really secure, OTOH create a really complicated password that most people won't guess and is very secure and what do most people do? Well of course they write it down so they won't forget and then it becomes less secure than a simple one! Many people actually have their passwords on a post it note attached to their monitor!:eek:

I use Keepass as shown in the thread from KingL - only one password to remember so I made it very secure and don't write it down - eventually you remember what it is anyway.

Keepass also has a random password generator built in so it can suggest very secure passwords.

Energize

Passwords are stored as a hash, so even if someone did steal the data they wouldn't know your password.

Swipe

They might well have your login details but they won't have your password. Yes, they'll have the ability to reset it but won't be able to see what your current one is. It is done that way for a reason.

Ximian

Energize wrote: »

Passwords are stored as a hash, so even if someone did steal the data they wouldn't know your password.

"Passwords are stored as a hash" Correct - But the passwords can be cracked in most cases.

StuHolmes

KingL wrote: »

So now that the government has got your Icesave login details,

Have they? I thought the whole process was being managed by Newcastle BS who always had them as they managed the Icesave online system.

neilmusgrove

Ximian wrote: »

"Passwords are stored as a hash" Correct - But the passwords can be cracked in most cases.

Not if it's a hash, that's the point, it's not the same as encryption. Hash's are one-way only.

MPH80

A strong password can be easy to create - think of a phrase and use the first letters.

For example - Barack Obama has beaten John McCain to the presidency becomes bohbjmttp

Random and not easily guessable. All you have to do is remember the phrase - and you can add numbers into that to make it stronger. E.g. In November 08 Obama beat McCain to be president - in08obmtbp.

M.

oldagetraveller

I'm with StuHolmes - no they haven't. Surely all secured with NBS as they've always been.
There's no need for the FSCS to have all the security information because they surely have no need for the Icesave log in details.
Scaremongering for the sake of it in my opinion.
I'm not concerned in the least.