Accessing Online Bank Account -Safe?

[muchlovex]

Would I need some sort of antivirus checker for my PC so I can safely check my bank account online?

Thank youx

[Rollo]

At the very least you need an antivirus program and a firewall running on your computer before you use the internet for anything.

[Toureman]

No.

[CheekyChops]

If you haven't got antivirus software, you really need some, opnline banking or not.

You can download AVG for free from http://free.grisoft.com/ .

[dzug]

A firewall would be of most use here, but you really should have both

[Panic Button]

Personally I will never do internet banking.

There are too many computer savvy crims out there.

[squarebear]

I agree with Panic Button. I work in IT and would NEVER use internet banking.

[Ethel]

I use internet banking.

I do not use cashpoints though - too frightened of getting either cloned or mugged.

[SlackAlice]

Fancy that! Two Ethel's :)
Sorry, couldn't resist that.

You wouldn't need anti virus specifically for online banking, but you definitely need it for using internet, plus a good firewall.

[jake-the-peg]

I work for a major antivirus company and I use online banking. I can't speak for other banks but I use HSBC and have found them really hot on security

The reason that you want an antivirus/anti spyware program is because of the huge expansion over recent years in trojans that are capable of picking up things like credit card numbers which are then sold on to criminal gangs.

You should use a desktop firewall too (that will alert you to programs trying to use the internet behind your back and could be a trojan)

However you chance of getting infected are not all that high if you (and every one else using your computer) tends to stick to mainstream sites and uses the same programs.

If you tend to download dodgy software from websites you found on Google you're much more likely to get into trouble than if you tend to use the same programs all the time.

The other thing you need to to is to keep your computer up to date. People find ways to exploits problems in things like windows all the time so keeping "patched" is important

If you don't have automatic updating happening go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com regularly to get new patches. (Microsoft regularly releases them on the 2nd Tuesday of every month)

[whiffey]

For any online financial transactions I boot my pc into Linux from a CD.

[rojash]

I've worked in IT since 1980, I regularly make purchases on-line, but I wouldn't touch on-line banking with a firewalled, av-protected, bargepole. I use a dialup modem direct to LloydsTSB's system in the UK. It costs me 10 quid a month and (IMHO) is a lot safer than using the internet.

[Postdog]

I've been using internet banking for ten years or so, and it's never worried me. I doubt I could go back to queing or using the ohone.

[rojash]

"FACT the internet is only as safe as your PC"

Yeah, but on-line banking is only as safe as the guys that run it. There have been numerous cases of accidental release of customer data into the public domain, including incidents of customers logging in, only to be shown all the details of an account belonging to someone else.

All the AV, AS and firewalls in the world won't save you from plain old human incompetence.

[rojash]

For just how good NatWest and RBS are, see "Bank data breaches probed by info commissioner" on Silicon.com

http://www.silicon.com/financialservices/0,380 0010322,39161657,00.htm

[rojash]

neildownx,
Silicon.com is an opt-in news site for IT professionals. It's part of the CNET and ZDNet goup.

Although the question was about Internet banking, my argument was that the dangers lie not with the Internet itself but with the poor security awareness of the banks that run internet banking sites. I linked to the article as an example of the practices of the banks that you had singled out for praise.

The rubbish was not taken away by reporters, but by bin men.

The rubbish was outside the branch in the bank's own bins - put there by bank staff, not by customers - hence the investigation by the data commissioners office.

I'm not sure why you seem to be so angry - have a nice Christmas.