Anyone recieved this from Westpac

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Anyone recieved this from Westpac

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#880812 19-Aug-2013 08:41

Talkiet:

Srsly. Try it. Log into internet banking with your caps lock key on and you'll still be able to log in.

Cheers - N

ASB is also case INsensitive. When prompted, they'll claim it doesn't matter because they have "128 bit encrypitation". Srsly, direct quote. Including misspelling.

On the actual topic though, the email is legitimate. Westpac contracts out their marketing communications to AffinityID who own eid.co.nz.

cyril7

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#880824 19-Aug-2013 09:28

Hi guys and Kyanar thanks for that confirmation. The fact that it was addressed (not email address but person) from an account manager at a branch I have never used I feel is pretty poor.

If they want to market their wares to me then this is a fail, listening Westpac?

Cyril

michaelmurfy

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#880896 19-Aug-2013 10:56

Doesn't appear to be phishing, the form doesn't ask for any details, but by the looks you'll receive a call / email from a rep now >.<

"Thanks, we’ll be in touch shortly"

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PaulBags

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#881282 19-Aug-2013 22:26

I had to check this out for myself, turned on caps lock and went and tried kiwibank - straight in. I feel cheated somehow.

Also, 'encrypitation' is my word of the day. Say it out loud, it's fun :).

Kyanar

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#881323 20-Aug-2013 07:19

PaulBags: I had to check this out for myself, turned on caps lock and went and tried kiwibank - straight in. I feel cheated somehow.

Also, 'encrypitation' is my word of the day. Say it out loud, it's fun :).

Oo yeah when we first heard that one, we were saying it all day at the office. Hilarious!

It seems not many banks are actually using case sensitive passwords. BNZ does, as does TSB. Unsure about Co-Operative or ANZ. The bit that worries me is, are they normalising case prior to comparing a hash, or is the password stored in plain text in the database?

meesham

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#881878 20-Aug-2013 22:29

I have accounts with 3 banks at the moment:

ASB: Case insensitive
ANZ: Case sensitive
BNZ: Case sensitive and even warned me that my caps lock is on

I also have business accounts with the Commonwealth Bank over in Australia, that one forced me to have mixed case characters in my password.

bigreddog

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#881881 20-Aug-2013 22:34

~~National Bank~~ ANZ password is case sensitive

American Express (who won't even send out a Merchant Application form without requiring you to sign up for their encrypted email) is totally case INsensitive

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#881894 20-Aug-2013 22:53

I've been wondering about this, does this mean the password is stored in plain text somewhere or that there are multiple hashes of the password kept? I'm not sure how they can achieve the case insensitivity on what should be an encrypted string.

richms

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#881898 20-Aug-2013 23:02

Just normalize the case to upper or lower before hashing it.

Richard rich.ms

WestpacComms

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#882931 22-Aug-2013 17:09

Hi all,

Confirming that this is actually a genuine email from Westpac. It is not a phishing scam. We post all scams that we are aware of via this link: http://www.westpac.co.nz/branch-mobile-online/online-banking/safety-and-security-online/report-a-phishing-scam/ If you have a concern about any communication from Westpac please email phishing@westpac.co.nz
WestpacNZ

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#882968 22-Aug-2013 18:21

michaelmurfy: Doesn't appear to be phishing, the form doesn't ask for any details, but by the looks you'll receive a call / email from a rep now >.<

"Thanks, we’ll be in touch shortly"

As above and as per the WestpacComms reply. I checked the link and it didn't look like phishing - it didn't ask for any personal information at all.

I think people need to fine tune their "phishing radar" around here.

cyril7

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#882991 22-Aug-2013 19:11

Hi, all happy that it was not phishing, but if you get an email from 21Y799o4P9TWH@viewemail.westpac.co.nz who then introduces himself as the manager of a branch you have never been in and then carries on to provide links for you to click on that are not at westpac.co.nz then I think you have a genuine reason to feel a little suspicious................. no?

Maybe its just me, but if it raises the slightest suspicion then when it comes to my finances straight in the bin it goes. I really think you need to make this seem more genuine.

Cheers
Cyril

PaulBags

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#883000 22-Aug-2013 19:40

WestpacComms: ... We post all scams that we are aware of via this link ...

Because there couldn't possibly be any westpac scams that your unaware of.

I always love getting email from paypal. How many people use paypal.com, only to end up getting email from paypal.com.sg and thinking "danger Will Robinson".

And now kiwibank are at it, got an email today telling me that they're changing the way they handle emails blah blah, with a bunch of complicated links everywhere. Thing is they have secure mail via their web banking, and I never get email from them. What am I supposed to think?

Ragnor

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#883030 22-Aug-2013 20:38

Kyanar:
Talkiet:

Srsly. Try it. Log into internet banking with your caps lock key on and you'll still be able to log in.

Cheers - N

ASB is also case INsensitive. When prompted, they'll claim it doesn't matter because they have "128 bit encrypitation". Srsly, direct quote. Including misspelling.

It's probably a legacy thing that hasn't been eradicated yet.

Ragnor

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#883032 22-Aug-2013 20:39

richms: Just normalize the case to upper or lower before hashing it.

Yeah most likely.

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