back to article Nationwide customers find online front door shut

Nationwide Building Society customers looking to check their accounts or peruse mortgage rates via its online front door were left frustrated today as its website's front page told them it was, er, too busy. Customers typing in nationwide.co.uk today were greeted with the following: Server is too busy The front page seems to …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Chrome unsupported browser

    In order to use the site securely, I have to not use Chrome and enable popups, so I won't know if a fake login screen pops up over the real one .. !!!!

    http://www.uploadimage.co.uk/images/97833590074333262804.jpg

  2. PTR
    Thumb Up

    Fixed?

    Seems to be working fine now.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I don't think so ..

      Please wait while content loading ... for ever :)

      http://www.uploadimage.co.uk/images/22953094360816949708.jpg

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Badgers

        Hehe... That is for ElReg readers ... Mostly

        Let me guess... You have flashblock :)

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Doesn't know what it is yet...

    ...what, no Indian translators on-hand?

    Possibly the consequence of another quality outsourcing decision...and an omen of things to come, given the big banks recent hard-ons for costs, rather than service quality?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Down

      Indian Translators

      Apparently they've a special customs lane at Gatwick especially dedicated to the plane loads of offshore contract staff this outsourcer uses to fullfill the Nationwide core upgrade contracts.

      No wonder their IT is so woefully poor...

      Nationwide are really gonna be in the brown stuff once the offshore contractor guys brought in to work on this core upgrade have all secured their work permits and moved onto milk higher hourly rates from another bunch of suckers (ie JP Morgan).

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Online Banking

    Online banking is going to be a pain in the arse with Nationwide over the next week or so since they're going to force you to use those damned card readers to log-in to online banking. They already do it for online transactions (which is understandable) but I cannot be arsed finding the damn thing each time I simply want to log in.

    Can anyone recommend a bank who doesn't make things like this such a hassle?

    1. david 142

      a bad bank that doesn't need a card reader to logon

      Natwest doesn't need a card reader to logon but they have repeatedly let me down, failing to pay standing orders and redusing my overdraft without telling me.

      I will be leaving them for first direct pretty soon.

    2. Paul_Murphy

      Lloyds

      Sign in using a user name and password (user changeable), then select 3 random characters from another pass phrase (user changeable) using drop-downs and you're in to their web site.

      Most transfers and other actions need your password re-entering.

      As far as I know they're not planning on introducing card-reader random number generators, but who knows?

      ttfn

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Happy

        Re: Lloyds

        LTSB tested 2 factor authentication, but then scrapped the project because it cost more to run that what THEY lost in fraud (allegedly)

        Anything other than 2 factor = bank fraud oportunities.

        So plus points to banks doing 2 factor,

        minus points for any not ensuring approriate BC/DR and transition planning

    3. irish donkey
      Thumb Down

      HSBC has good online banking

      but they have a habit of Ripping you off in charges.... throwing you bank statements out with normal rubbish and selling your details to scammers through their Indian Call centre.

      The choice is yours...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        HSBC

        Also, annoyingly, even though they supply a SecureID token for secure login, they keep pushing some third-party add-on to 'keep your computer secure'. I wouldn't mind but it's been going on for months now and I keep forgetting to use my Linux box to avoid that screen.

        So to log in it's:-

        User ID

        Password

        SecureID token

        'It looks like you are trying to login, do you want us to stuff it up for you?'

        Doesn't say much for how they rate their own security

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Don't bother!

      I'd agree that having to use the card-reader to login would be a major pain, but according to the announcements I've seen, it's optional - we can still login using the existing password + PIN procedure. Best of both worlds?

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Incorrect

      Using the card reader will speed up the login, the message they sent everyone states that you can still login without it.

  5. Herbert Fruchtl
    Thumb Down

    Log on procedure

    Their change (card reader required; up to now this was only the case if you transferred money out of your account) seems to be meant to increase the bank's security by making it tedious and not worthwhile to use internet banking. They seem to be rowing back now, with some "two--step process" (whatever that may be) that doesn't require the card reader.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Re: Log on procedure

      "...seems to be meant to increase the bank's security by making it tedious..."

      as in secure?

      as oppossed to easy and simple for the crooks to login taking over your account?

  6. sproot
    Go

    Easier Online Banking

    @AC

    First Direct, for the moment at least. Their phone service speaks English too .............

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    no change then

    Nationwide's site is always slow, even when it is working normally. And it has too many stupid rules about what characters and values it will accept in password and 'memorable data' fields.

  8. Mike Shepherd
    FAIL

    Error 509 - bad hair day

    It's a long time since I used their online banking, but I remember that error messages seemed only remotely connected to the actual fault.

    The generaly principle seemed to be "blame the user by listing half a dozen things they can get wrong, completely unrelated to what actually happened".

  9. Anomalous Cowturd
    Go

    Front page has been running slow for weeks.

    nationwide.co.uk has been taking over a minute to load sometimes. 3kB/sec on a good day.

    I changed my Opera Speed dial to https://olb2.nationet.com/signon/index2.asp to take me straight to the Login page. No problems...

    Today, the front page loaded in a flash. Looks like they have fixed it.

  10. M3JMI
    Thumb Up

    @AC

    LLoyds TSB does not need a fiddly card reader

    English Call Centre too

  11. Scott 53
    Thumb Up

    @AC

    smile.co.uk (part of the Co-op bank) - no card reader, British call centre (think it's in Lancashire) and you can use Post Offices to pay money in. I've been with them over 10 years and never had an issue.

  12. Jon Press

    2 factor authentication...

    ... is something we're all going to have to get used to. Banking trojans are getting very sneaky. Not that 2FA is infallible, but online bank fraud losses are accelerating to the point at which a certain amount of user inconvenience is inevitable. If you want something to truly complain about, save it for 3-D Secure.

    Nationwide in my experience seem particularly prone to treating their customers/members like chldren but in this case it just means that they're doing something now that all the rest, who are still agonising about customer resistance, will almost certainly be doing shortly.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Typographical Correction...

      I think you meant 3D IN-secure ...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Unhappy

      And don't forget

      Verified by bloody visa as well

      2FA is fine - I'd like some choice thanks and not that sodding "my first calculator" thing. I always have my mobile with me - why not use that? Or allow an RSA keyfob etc

      Nationwide will not be pushing this onto me - I'll leave

  13. Steve Foster

    2FA

    I don't mind the card reader too much (though I prefer my HBOS SecurID token), but what does tick me off is having to use the card reader for *every* transaction to a non-Nationwide destination.

    For example, when paying credit card bills (with payment mandates that have been around for *years*), there's clearly no need for the card reader process.

    A better approach would be to only require the card reader process when setting up a new payment, rather than pestering the user for each payment.

    Alternatively, go through the card reader process the first time I make a payment in a banking session, then don't bug me again for the rest of that session.

  14. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    erm, what's all the fuss about

    This looks like a minor step forward to me. Still no TANs so once you get the login details you're laughing.

    Does this keypad actually plug into the computer and secure the communication or is it external? In which case the authentication is still subject to MitM attacks. We're onto ones that encrypt the communication end to end here and have TANs for each transaction. All that and German online banking is still considered insecure.

    Regarding call-centres: Nationwide usually routes calls round the branches which I've always found to be a pragmatic solution to the problem.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      There is no fuss Charlie

      The card reader does not interface with a computer in any way shape or form. Slide the card in the reader, authenticate with your 4 digit pin code then simply follow the instructions on-screen to make a transaction.

  15. Deadly Headshot
    Unhappy

    Been fine with me

    I've used Nationwide for years (among others) and I've never really had a single problem relating to their service! Other banks/Building societies refuse to accept my browser, crash all the time, have unnecessarily complicated login procedures (does it really improve security to have to enter your details on multiple pages? I think not), whereas Nationwide have been consistantly perfect throughout my time of using them. The online banking is simple but effective and I like that (hence I'm not a Mac luser).

    El Reg is being a bit harsh...

  16. Sport Monkey

    Is it worse that their old one

    To be fair Nationwide's old system was gash of the highest order. Intermittently let you log in (to shared accounts - don't think the issue is with single person accounts) before the card reader, you call up and they say you're stupid. Considering I'm a dev, the person sat opposite had the same issue, and so have others I know, lets hope this system is somewhat better, although it's not likely.

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