HSBC website displays security warning
HSBC has reassured business customers that a message on its internet banking site is not a security risk after an SSL certificate on a US server expired. UK business bankers visiting the online banking suite were greeted by a message, which caused concern. It said: "www.ukbusiness.com is a site that uses a security certificate to encrypt data during transmission, but its certificate expired on 04/03/2008 23:59." It then asked if customers would like to continue anyway? But HSBC has reassured customers that there was no security risk for them. A spokesman said the SSL certificate was used only to protect the security message that the bank has on its website. "The certificate is not managing any data encryption or security it just allows the [standard] security message to be displayed and allows us to change this message if we need to." .
Online Brits at Risk to Tune of £361bn VeriSign
Mar 12 2008 : UK Internet users are putting up to �361 billion (US$726 billion) at risk by sharing personal data on Websites that are either insecure or poorly protected, according to a survey carried out for the U.S.-based Internet security firm VeriSign. According to the survey, conducted by pollsters YouGov, the average British consumer is worth �10,077 online. This figure is the total sum of monetary assets available in the average person�s online accounts, which includes their banking and shopping accounts, VeriSign says. The survey found that 65 percent of respondents share personal information with their online bank each week, 58 percent with online retailers, and 31 percent with social networking sites such as Facebook. These figures mean that the ability of fraudsters to steal a customer�s details and money online has substantially increased, VeriSign warns.
Credit card fraud losses hit £535m
Card fraud soared by a quarter in 2007, the Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs) has reported. In total, some £535m was lost to criminals during the year. Fraud based on stealing and counterfeiting UK cards and then using them abroad accounted for more than £200m of the total and was up 77 per cent on the previous year. Instances of counterfeit or stolen cards being used to buy items over the phone, internet and from mail- order companies also rose sharply. Overall, the sharp rise in fraud is a surprise considering that the banking industry and retailers have spent more than £1bn converting the UK to chip and pin. However, it does seem that the technology is still an effective deterrent on the high street: the level of card fraud carried out in UK shops is currently running at around a third of the losses that existed before the introduction of chip and pin.
Banking on Mac users
In April 2007, First Direct realised the hard way that not supporting Mac users wasn't a wise move. When an update to its security blocked all Mac users using Safari, Mac users denounced the internet company. Credit where it's due though, First Direct quickly re-worked its system and announced Safari support in January this year. It even goes as far as to proudly proclaim its Mac credentials on the corporate home page. But First Direct didn't just stop there. The bank famous for internet banking went one step further and introduced online banking via the iPhone. I'm aware that this may be de rigour in the United States (where Bank Of America has been offering this service for a while) but let me tell you it's very much a novelty here in the UK.
SAP Wins UK Building Society Deal
SAP has won a contract from UK mortgage provider Nationwide building society to provide a banking technology platform as part of Nationwide's six-year $600m business transformation program to revamp branches and improve internet and telephone banking services. .
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-03-13 18:39 GMT: Car dealers pressured to combine
DETROIT (AP) - For years, the Warren Central High School Warriors have counted on Gene Beltz's Shadeland Dodge for support.
From buying ad space in programs to paying for schedule printing to sponsoring a mentorship program, the dealership has been there to support athletics and academics at the football powerhouse on Indianapolis' east side. But the new owners of Chrysler LLC want to jettison hundreds of single-brand dealers like Shadeland, consolidating them into larger operations that sell all three company brands, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. The plan, similar to those under way at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., could mean an exit from the business for Shadeland and other longtime dealerships that have long been part of the American landscape. "I'm kind of a dinosaur," says owner Kevin Beltz, whose father started the business in 1970 when the area was a bustling hub of factories.
Shamed by the short traders
City regulators have started an exhaustive manhunt for the perpetrators of the smash-and-grab raid on HBOS, the bank which saw 20 per cent wiped off its value in an hour through unfounded market rumours about its financial health. Totally false speculation caused panic selling of HBOS shares on Wednesday, prompting an unprecedented reaction from regulators furious that unknown speculators with short positions in the bank had made a killing by deliberately planting the untrue gossip. The Financial Services Authority, the UK markets watchdog, has recently beefed up its market monitoring operation, but many analysts warned yesterday that the culprits, who some claimed had put the entire UK economy at risk, will never be found. Within minutes of the London market opening for business on Wednesday, HBOS had shares plunged 18 per cent to 398p, smashed by rumours that liquidity problems had forced it to go cap in hand to the Bank of England.
(AFX UK Focus) 2008-03-11 16:05 GMT: TFN NEWS BRIEFING: Mergers and acquisitions highlights to 15:50 GMT
2008-03-11 15:49:52 Google closes DoubleClick deal MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) - Google Inc. says it has taken control of online ad service DoubleClick Inc., completing a deal that the Internet search leader announced 11 months ago. 2008-03-11 15:43:14 Dawnay, Day Sirius buys 2 German business parks for total 37 mln eur LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Real estate company Dawnay, Day Sirius Ltd said it has acquired two German business parks for a total of 37 mln eur. 2008-03-11 15:26:23 Bulgaria's NEK shortlists RWE, Electrabel in Belene stake sale PRAGUE (Thomson Financial) - Bulgarian state-run power group NEK said it has shortlisted power groups RWE and Electrabel to win a strategic role in the construction of a 2,000 MW nuclear power plant in Belene. 2008-03-11 15:22:07 Norilsk Nickel to sell 1.0 pct stake in Polyus Gold MOSCOW (Thomson Financial) - JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel said it has initiated the sale of 1,920,826 ordinary shares, or about 1.0 pct, of OJSC Polyus Gold as part of its ongoing efforts to sell its non-core assets.
|
