Bank cardreader...WTF!
Discussion
So my bank ...a well known chain that is available Nationwide....Have sent me a card reader thing...looks like a calculator...you put your card in and then it does something..
Does not appear to plug into the PC...
So how does it work? The banks website dont really explain how it works atall...
Does it communicate wirelessly with the mobile phone network or is it simply just a code generator?
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
Does not appear to plug into the PC...
So how does it work? The banks website dont really explain how it works atall...
Does it communicate wirelessly with the mobile phone network or is it simply just a code generator?
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
I got one of them too - when you want to buy something onthe internet, you put your card in it, type in your pin number and it gives you a security code that you then type into the computer to validate your transaction
bit like the "verified by visa" thing but more secure
although means you have to carry that calculator thing anywhere you want to use internet shopping
bit like the "verified by visa" thing but more secure
although means you have to carry that calculator thing anywhere you want to use internet shopping
its a pin security thing. When you go on the net to do internet banking, you have to type in a pin code on the website. Well the 'calculator' generates a one time only pin which you then type into the web browser.
So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
Tony*T3 said:
its a pin security thing. When you go on the net to do internet banking, you have to type in a pin code on the website. Well the 'calculator' generates a one time only pin which you then type into the web browser.
So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
How is the PC linked to requesting the code that shows up on a non-connected device?So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
And if it works from a pool of valid codes; why not just note down one and use that as a 'super long PIN'?
Heskey said:
Tony*T3 said:
its a pin security thing. When you go on the net to do internet banking, you have to type in a pin code on the website. Well the 'calculator' generates a one time only pin which you then type into the web browser.
So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
How is the PC linked to requesting the code that shows up on a non-connected device?So the number you type changes every time you log on, can only be used once, and is time dependant.
Increased security
And if it works from a pool of valid codes; why not just note down one and use that as a 'super long PIN'?
Sounds like it's a "code generator". If so, then it's a very secure way of confirming online transactions - way more secure than "Verified by Visa".
It won't communicate or connect to anything else. You'll enter your PIN, and it will then give you a code. The clever bit is that only two systems can generate that particular code - your little electronic gizmo and the banks own computer, and each code is valid for a very short period of time (maybe a minute). So the bank can therefore confirm that it's genuinally you making the transaction. And if someone finds out the code it doesn't really matter, as 60 seconds later it's expired.
It won't communicate or connect to anything else. You'll enter your PIN, and it will then give you a code. The clever bit is that only two systems can generate that particular code - your little electronic gizmo and the banks own computer, and each code is valid for a very short period of time (maybe a minute). So the bank can therefore confirm that it's genuinally you making the transaction. And if someone finds out the code it doesn't really matter, as 60 seconds later it's expired.
tegwin said:
Does it communicate wirelessly with the mobile phone network or is it simply just a code generator?
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
A few of the banks in the UK use it, but you will find that quite a few in Europe do ths same thing. Its a tried and trusted technology and works extremely well.
Basically its an interface to the card itself that forces you to use the PIN for the card itself. Only when you use the correct PIN can you returning code from the reader and then carry out the transaction. Please note that this is not for on-line shopping but for access to the on-line bank and to confirm transactions.
Natwest are a heavy user of this technology and you can just use your bank card without a problem. If you want to transfer money from accounts though, you need the reader and the card and then tap in the PIN. This gives you a code which you can type into the web application and its all OK.
All works well and is based on a one-time-password algorithm system that is synchronised with the bank itself. There is no need to communicate with the PC or mobile phone - in fact its better to NOT communicate with the PC as this is not guaranteed. It just reads the card and interacts with it...
Don't worry - its a good system.
tegwin said:
So my bank ...a well known chain that is available Nationwide....Have sent me a card reader thing...looks like a calculator...you put your card in and then it does something..
Does not appear to plug into the PC...
So how does it work? The banks website dont really explain how it works atall...
Does it communicate wirelessly with the mobile phone network or is it simply just a code generator?
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
RTFM...?Does not appear to plug into the PC...
So how does it work? The banks website dont really explain how it works atall...
Does it communicate wirelessly with the mobile phone network or is it simply just a code generator?
Really cant see the point of it...just more crap to make online shopping even harder!
fadeaway said:
Sounds like it's a "code generator". If so, then it's a very secure way of confirming online transactions - way more secure than "Verified by Visa".
It won't communicate or connect to anything else. You'll enter your PIN, and it will then give you a code. The clever bit is that only two systems can generate that particular code - your little electronic gizmo and the banks own computer, and each code is valid for a very short period of time (maybe a minute). So the bank can therefore confirm that it's genuinally you making the transaction. And if someone finds out the code it doesn't really matter, as 60 seconds later it's expired.
but how does it "work?"It won't communicate or connect to anything else. You'll enter your PIN, and it will then give you a code. The clever bit is that only two systems can generate that particular code - your little electronic gizmo and the banks own computer, and each code is valid for a very short period of time (maybe a minute). So the bank can therefore confirm that it's genuinally you making the transaction. And if someone finds out the code it doesn't really matter, as 60 seconds later it's expired.
if it doesn't communicate with anythign how does it know that the code is correct and everything?
I've got one for natwest and whilst a pain in the arse i can see its a good idea. But i'm buggered if i know how it works
Algorithm connected to a pre-calibrated timing chip in the calc thingy (with the same calibration on the server) isn't it?
Calc "knows" same time as bank server and therefore they both "know" the same code at that point in time.
Or something along those lines
ETA off_again says the same and sounds professional.
Calc "knows" same time as bank server and therefore they both "know" the same code at that point in time.
Or something along those lines
ETA off_again says the same and sounds professional.
Edited by DrTre on Friday 15th August 09:59
So what you mean is...
The website will accept ANY code, but the codes are generated by your card being entered and logged, so that they can varify that your card generated that code?
2 flaws: How does the bank know you generated the code if the device is unconnected
And if the website accepts any code, what's stopping people bashing in random numbers?
The website will accept ANY code, but the codes are generated by your card being entered and logged, so that they can varify that your card generated that code?
2 flaws: How does the bank know you generated the code if the device is unconnected
And if the website accepts any code, what's stopping people bashing in random numbers?
DrTre said:
Algorithm connected to a pre-calibrated timing chip (with the same calibration on the server) isn't it?
Calc "knows" same time as bank server and therefore they both "know" the same code at that point in time.
Or something along those lines
wow. that 'sounds' expensive - no idea if it is? i guess not seeing as they're giving everyone one. Calc "knows" same time as bank server and therefore they both "know" the same code at that point in time.
Or something along those lines
Edited by DrTre on Friday 15th August 09:57
DrTre said:
Calc "knows" same time as bank server and therefore they both "know" the same code at that point in time.
Or something along those lines
How does it "know" if it's basically a glorified calculator? My calculator saying 2 + 2 = 4 doesn't know I'm putting 2 + 2 = 30 on the computer?Or something along those lines
Edited by DrTre on Friday 15th August 09:58
Heskey said:
So what you mean is...
The website will accept ANY code, but the codes are generated by your card being entered and logged, so that they can varify that your card generated that code?
2 flaws: How does the bank know you generated the code if the device is unconnected
And if the website accepts any code, what's stopping people bashing in random numbers?
I think the banks would have thought of this before big man.The website will accept ANY code, but the codes are generated by your card being entered and logged, so that they can varify that your card generated that code?
2 flaws: How does the bank know you generated the code if the device is unconnected
And if the website accepts any code, what's stopping people bashing in random numbers?
Heskey said:
How does it "know" if it's basically a glorified calculator? My calculator saying 2 + 2 = 4 doesn't know I'm putting 2 + 2 = 30 on the computer?
It "knows" because it is preprogrammed to know.ETA More accurately it is preprogrammed to generate the same code as the server does for any given input of "time" value.
Edited by DrTre on Friday 15th August 10:03
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff