Halifax login security?

OnlyMe_08

Maybe it's just an anomily, but I tried logging into my halifax account, but after username and password, I get a pop-up to save a file called octo-stream on the memorable info. page.

Has anyone else experienced this?

tizerbelle

I just logged in to Halifax to check. Just the usual 2 screen login process. No pop-ups.

Zanderman

Are you sure you're definitely logging into the real site? Not a fake one that's come up via a search (or clicked through from an email)? What is the url in the address bar?

Octostream is a video steaming system - so can't see what it has to do with Halifax.

Dobbibill

make sure it's halifax.co.uk and when you click on the 'log on' button it will put https in front of the www.

if that doesn't happen then I wouldn't log in

Paul_1977

Change your password to be on the safe side once you make sure the website is correct.

https://www.halifax-online.co.uk/personal/logon/login.jsp

OnlyMe_08

Thanks for your comments everyone.

I'm usually quite vigilant when logging onto banking sites, maybe I was a bit tired yesterday. I tend to look for the lock at each stage of the login process, making sure it's a secure connection.

The file it wanted me to download started with / located at https://campaign.halifax...

Since then, I've updated my browserand performed virus and malware scans.

As Paul suggested, I will change my password just to be safe!

TrustyOven

OnlyMe_08 wrote: »

Maybe it's just an anomily, but I tried logging into my halifax account, but after username and password, I get a pop-up to save a file called octo-stream on the memorable info. page.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes, had the octet-stream download once before. Also at the same time, and even just now, my browser locks up at the login page, and again when I go to my account page.

I am not sure if this corresponds to a recent (within past month) Firefox "upgrade".

Or if Halifax has made a change.

But to me, it seems that Halifax is serving up dodgy JavaScript that locks up the browser. It eventually resolves after about a minute of not being able to switch to other tabs etc.

It's a real pity, I do hope they fix it if it's a problem on their end, because I do actually like using Halifax's online banking.

bubieyehyeh

TrustyOven wrote: »

Yes, had the octet-stream download once before. Also at the same time, and even just now, my browser locks up at the login page, and again when I go to my account page.

I am not sure if this corresponds to a recent (within past month) Firefox "upgrade".

Or if Halifax has made a change.

But to me, it seems that Halifax is serving up dodgy JavaScript that locks up the browser. It eventually resolves after about a minute of not being able to switch to other tabs etc.

It's a real pity, I do hope they fix it if it's a problem on their end, because I do actually like using Halifax's online banking.

I've had the same issue. The Lloyds and BoS have the same problem on their website also. I've only tried the firefox browser, I've not yet checked if the problem occurs on other browsers.

I've worked around it by disabling javascript (using no script) however it makes the website harder to navigate.

When I don't disable javascript their dodgy website code makes one of the CPU cores go to 100% for about a minute while freezing all the tabs in the browser, before throwing an error message and asking you to save this octet-stream file. The error is too long to fully read and I'm not certain, but seems to be some javascript trying to create an ActiveX object in an infinite loop.

TrustyOven

bubieyehyeh wrote: »

I've worked around it by disabling javascript (using no script) however it makes the website harder to navigate.

I've got NoScript set to allow their domain. Next time I login, I'll try disabling, although I suspect most websites these days, including Halifax, "need" JavaScript to function.

masonic

bubieyehyeh wrote: »

I've not yet checked if the problem occurs on other browsers.

Chrome has been notifying me it has blocked flash objects on the login page for quite some time. Enabling 'click to play' in Firefox for these sorts of plugin should do the trick and still allow the useful javascript to run. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/set-adobe-flash-click-play-firefox

bubieyehyeh

The problem is not flash related, since I have click to play enabled in firefox.

Halifax still seems to works without javascript, but the website is more verbose, since normally hidden parts are then visible. However I've not tried making any transactions just balance checking so far with javascript disabled.