Andy’s Techie Blog » Blog Archive » Little ideas

Little ideas

Posted on September 19th, 2007 AndyParkes 2 comments

We use internet banking heavily at home. I can understand how people can get nervous about it though as you just have a user name and password protecting all your money (or lack of it)!

The picture that i’ve attached is something we got from Natwest a couple of weeks ago. Basically it’s a calculator that doubles up as a card reader.

When performing certain actions you are prompted by the website you insert your bank card, enter your PIN and your given a one time code to enter (two factor authentication anyone?!)

Neat little idea. It’s pretty cool how it has another use as well. Kudos to the bank for taking security seriously

Stuff
2 Responses to “Little ideas”
1. Paulie September 19th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
  
  I received one of these a short while ago.
  
  What I hadn’t realised before using this reader is that the pin number of your bank card is actually stored on the card.
  
  I had previously assumed that whenever you use chip’n'pin or an ATM that the PIN was checked against a central database at the moment you enter it.
  
  I now understand why card cloning is such big business!
  
  I do like the added security of this system, but it has proved to be a pain when trying to perform certain transactions when you are not at home which require the reader.
2. andyparkes September 25th, 2007 at 8:47 am
  
  Thanks for the comment Paulie
  
  It is very scary. I’ve been the victim of card fraud in the past and i don’t think chip and pin is enough
  
  Why can’t they store a small photograph of the user on the chip. Then when they use the card it will show up on the screen in the shop?
  Bit late now i guess!
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