# Keeping Track of Account Numbers and PINs



## Slim (23 May 2008)

Partly as a result of the good info on here, I have opened a number of accounts over the last few months with different institutions, with access for herself and myself. So, there is the regular bank acc. which I can access online. Mrs. Slim has an ECB tracker deposit with same bank in her name so it does not appear on the main summary sheet online. In addition, we have Halifax Current Acc. + Flexi Saver, MBNA & Tesco credit cards, FA eSavings Acc, probably opening FA regular Saver soon, maybe INBS too.

The problem is having to open all the websites, remember the different numbers, to check transactions online! Is there any way of combining all of the different pages into a single "portal" or homepage so I can just go to one website to check the different accounts?

Slim


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## ClubMan (23 May 2008)

Any use?

password safe 

There may be other similar threads. And _Google _will probably find some relevant options too.


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## Slim (23 May 2008)

*Re: Keeping Track of Online Accounts*

That is useful, Clubman, thanks.

Of course, on reflection, the title I posted is misleading. Although the safety and security of the plethora of passwords is a problem, I am mainly thinking of some way of having easier access to the accounts websites, maybe like a homepage with buttons on it, one for MBNA, another for NIB etc.

slim


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## ClubMan (23 May 2008)

Browser bookmarks?


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## TSThomas (23 May 2008)

I use Bookmarks myself for the various login pages. No security issues doing this either I should add. For convenience sake I've saved all such bookmarks to 1 folder. Just use whatever your browsers Organise / Manage Bookmarks feature is to rename the links as appropriate.

Login / Password / PIN / Security question storage is another matter... Plenty of integrated browser software solutions available or you could go with a encrypted password protected document.


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## IFT (23 May 2008)

A good alternative is to use Google Docs. You will need a gmail account. (or a google managed domain)

Its basically like MS Word but the information is held on Google servers. You can then access these documents ( including xcel ) from any device (even mobile) that is connected to the web. Its called cloud computing which you will hear alot more of. I store all my business docs 'in the cloud' and can access them from my pda.

Tour
http://www.google.com/google-d-s/intl/en/tour1.html

You can always publish pages which generates a random html tag. Thus your wife could access this page on the internet. 
In fact you can even create, distribute and publish presentations. Here is a sample.
[broken link removed]


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## rmelly (24 May 2008)

Would the following not be a bit more appropriate than Google Docs:

[broken link removed]


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## ClubMan (24 May 2008)

Storing links to individual banks' online banking services is one thing but obviously people should never store sensitive details such as login credentials (usernames, passwords, _PINS _etc.) on a shared/insecure system.


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## DrMoriarty (24 May 2008)

And of course online storage should never be the _only_ place the information is held.

[broken link removed]


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## RaboDirect (24 May 2008)

TSThomas said:


> I use Bookmarks myself for the various login pages. No security issues doing this either I should add. For convenience sake I've saved all such bookmarks to 1 folder. Just use whatever your browsers Organise / Manage Bookmarks feature is to rename the links as appropriate.
> 
> Login / Password / PIN / Security question storage is another matter... Plenty of integrated browser software solutions available or you could go with a encrypted password protected document.



Bookmarking secure log in pages for online banking websites is not always foolproof. For example, if your computer is vulnerable to viruses there is the risk that a virus could take over what you think is the bookmarked online banking page with a fake page designed to capture your log in details. Banks (and other organisations) that still rely on static passwords and PIN's only are vulnerable to this. 

In regard to the RaboDirect site we suggest "you make sure that you only use your Digipass when the address of the website in the address bar of your internet browser starts with [broken link removed] or https://secure2.rabodirect.ie/".

Remember to look for the padlock icon in your browser and make sure that you see 's' in the https address as opposed to just http.  

Obvious advice is to protect your computer with updated firewall and anti-virus software. 

RaboDirect


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## TSThomas (24 May 2008)

Possible in theory, but all modern browsers (Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2...) also feature integrated phishing filters so if you were to happen to visit a phishing page (Whether through email link or mis-directed bookmark) you'll be warned. So the same point essentially stands - check for the Encryption Lock.

As it stands most Browser Hijackers alter Hompage & Search pages, sometimes adding bookmarks. But I don't believes there's instances of checking for & altering existing bookmarks.


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## rmelly (25 May 2008)

TSThomas said:


> But I don't believes there's instances of checking for & altering existing bookmarks.


 
No, but your (Windows) hosts file could be hijacked to point a known set of banks online urls (e.g. all irish banks, all UK banks etc) to alternative sites. Users 'should' easily spot this for secure sites however, if they are in any way internet savvy.

Another possibility is hijacking your DNS configuration.


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## mickoneill30 (26 May 2008)

You could have a look at this
http://www.roboform.com/

The passwords are stored on your system or USB key and are encrypted.

Some people love it. I found it too fidlly.

I use 
1: A spreadsheet with every password and link in it.
2: Truecrypt to encrypt that sheet. http://www.truecrypt.org/

I really wouldn't recommend storing passwords on a free shared service without using some kind of strong encryption and a backup. For three reasons.

1: You don't know who else has access to that data.
2: If somebody gets your Google or whatever password they've access to all your passwords. (It has happened).
3: If the data gets lost and you don't have an agreement with the shared service they might not care (that's happened too).


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## TSThomas (26 May 2008)

Again, possible, but such attacks would effect you whether you manually entered a website URL or used a bookmark & you'd have the same padlock / phishing detection. Relatedly, for anyone who doesn't yet have it installed;  detects hosts file changes too.


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