Safe Online Banking Abroad?

The_pc_tech

If you are using a netbook and Wi-Fi there should not be an issue as your connection will be encrypted just as at home.

As has been said though, don't use Internet Cafes for this.

dinofabio

claire16c wrote: »

There's being paranoid, but then you also need to be able to pay bills/move money about in order to travel in the first place!

Agreed you need to access to your bank account when travelling for extended periods.

I intend to 'load' one account up before I go, and put some emergency funds in another account. So I won't have to move funds around too much but I need to keep track of my spending so that I don't run out of money half way through my planned itinerary! Hence the reason I want to check my bank balance regularly.

Thanks for the tips so far. I'll be taking my card reader, and see if I can set up text alerts with my bank.

I'll use my android phone and use the hotel wifi. I think that's all I can do. Unless anyone can think of anything else?

Nothing is 100% foolproof, but like I've said, I've got to be
able to keep a check on my spending.

Just one thought. Is it possible to get a mini statement from an atm in S.E Asia like you can in the UK? That would save me going online most of the time as I will just need to view the balance and recent transactions.

Bogtrotter

ferf1223 wrote: »

I worry about hopping on random wi-fi on our netbook and logging onto online banking, it just seems like it would be unsecure...many (most?) hotel wi-fi is unsecure...and I don't know enough about how these things work to know whether it would be safe or not.

Generally you will be fine as your bank will be using a secure website but you also need to be aware that if you use pop3 mail, log into unsecure websites you could reveal information that may intercepted by eavesdroppers and used to help hack your secure websites.

The_pc_tech wrote: »

If you are using a netbook and Wi-Fi there should not be an issue as your connection will be encrypted just as at home.

That's ok if you trust the wi-fi provider. They could have a machine through which all traffic passes and again they would be able to log information transferred to and from insecure sites.

From any open or untrusted hotspot I will only use sites which can provide an https connection. For other insecure sites from untrusted wi-fi or open hotspots I'll use an encrypted SSH connection with a server at home.

ferf1223

Bogtrotter wrote: »

That's ok if you trust the wi-fi provider. They could have a machine through which all traffic passes and again they would be able to log information transferred to and from insecure sites.

From any open or untrusted hotspot I will only use sites which can provide an https connection. For other insecure sites from untrusted wi-fi or open hotspots I'll use an encrypted SSH connection with a server at home.

thanks for that - the first bit is what I was worried about - appreciate the advice...we do not normally travel long enough at one go for it to be necessary but good to have a steer how to handle it if we ever needed to.

Bob_the_Saver

dinofabio wrote: »

Agreed you need to access to your bank account when travelling for extended periods.

I intend to 'load' one account up before I go, and put some emergency funds in another account. So I won't have to move funds around too much but I need to keep track of my spending so that I don't run out of money half way through my planned itinerary! Hence the reason I want to check my bank balance regularly.

Thanks for the tips so far. I'll be taking my card reader, and see if I can set up text alerts with my bank.

I'll use my android phone and use the hotel wifi. I think that's all I can do. Unless anyone can think of anything else?

Nothing is 100% foolproof, but like I've said, I've got to be
able to keep a check on my spending.

Just one thought. Is it possible to get a mini statement from an atm in S.E Asia like you can in the UK? That would save me going online most of the time as I will just need to view the balance and recent transactions.

Indian ATM's (and others) often give a balance in local currency.

Bob_the_Saver

Basically. NEVER TRUST ANYONE OR ANYTHING.

dinofabio

Bogtrotter wrote: »

Generally you will be fine as your bank will be using a secure website but you also need to be aware that if you use pop3 mail, log into unsecure websites you could reveal information that may intercepted by eavesdroppers and used to help hack your secure websites.



That's ok if you trust the wi-fi provider. They could have a machine through which all traffic passes and again they would be able to log information transferred to and from insecure sites.

From any open or untrusted hotspot I will only use sites which can provide an https connection. For other insecure sites from untrusted wi-fi or open hotspots I'll use an encrypted SSH connection with a server at home.

Sorry but I'm obviously not as clued up as you with such matters.

I'll be using a smart phone and a hotel wifi connection. I don't know what you mean by pop3 mail. I'll be logging directly into a major UK bank website. This should be ok? - secure https website

Bob_the_Saver

dinofabio wrote: »

Sorry but I'm obviously not as clued up as you with such matters.

I'll be using a smart phone and a hotel wifi connection. I don't know what you mean by pop3 mail. I'll be logging directly into a major UK bank website. This should be ok? - secure https website

Can't you just sort out your affairs before you go and monitor the balance by SMS alerts?

I guess you know what's going in and out and what you're spending/withdrawing so it shouldn't be a problem.

Bogtrotter

dinofabio wrote: »

I'll be using a smart phone and a hotel wifi connection. I don't know what you mean by pop3 mail. I'll be logging directly into a major UK bank website. This should be ok? - secure https website

POP3 mail is when you use an email client like Outlook or Windows Live Mail to access your email. Connections are rarely encrypted and eavesdroppers on the network could sniff your email login and password. Likewise surfing insecure sites can reveal passwords for secure sites (since many people use the same/similar login/passwords across multiple sites).

Logging into bank should be fine although there has been cases of people using fake SSL certificates (see here). Not an issue if you're using a fully updated Windows... couldn't be sure about Android though.

I would just suggest you can verify a secure link to the bank (like you do when you click on the padlock in a browser) and that you are confident you have no dubious apps installed on your phone.

This is a bit hard to definitively identify dubious apps because we've all come across apps like a maybe a "Spirit Level" app, which when you try to install it, requests internet access, access to GPS data, access to your address book etc. Probably an innocent app but what the hell does it need so much information for just to tell you if your shelf is level?:)

TakeThis

dinofabio wrote: »

Sorry but I'm obviously not as clued up as you with such matters.

I'll be using a smart phone and a hotel wifi connection. I don't know what you mean by pop3 mail. I'll be logging directly into a major UK bank website. This should be ok? - secure https website

If you are thinking of roaming using your UK SIM, you should think again.
Make sure that your phone is unlocked before you go, so that you can use local SIMs. That way you will not need to depend on WiFi availability. I don't do Internet Banking on open WiFi networks. I always use a mobile network for that whilst travelling.

Recently in Thailand, I swapped my UK Blackberry SIM for a Thai Blackberry SIM. £1.50 per week for full service. Purchased a separate data package of 75MB for £2 for a month to cover my downloading needs(they were few).

Using your UK SIM, expect charges of up to £7.50 per MB, if WiFi is not available. Switching Data Roaming on even for a minute could prove an expensive mistake.