Trusteer Rapport software latest?
 

I have recently started using the online facilities provided by MBNA to manage my two credit card accounts. They are going "bananas" trying to encourage me to upload and use the above free protection software. Although my bank (Lloyds TSB) never mention this software on their site some banks do but as a result of the thorough investigation made by Volant Brique a year or so ago into this software I would not touch it with a bargepole. I wondered therefore what the latest situation is with this firm's software.

P.P.

Barclays gives 3 licences for kaspersky free. Lloyds not offer anything ?

Most of the on-line comments are very negative about it.

If you don't have the Trusteer software installed and your computer gets hacked then the bank will wash it hands of the problem: you didn't take its advice, so the problem is yours, not theirs.

In reality the Trusteer software doesn't do much useful: just helps secure the connection and blocks a few trojans. However theres no reason NOT to use it unless you have an old machine. It uses a fair amount of system resources, but any recent machine (i.e. post WinXP) should be able to cope without too much of a performance hit

Its very very arguable as to whether it actually really helps secure the machine, but its not worth the risk of the bank playing hard if something goes wrong

If the bank doesn't say that you MUST have that software to use their online banking, then they cannot hide behind "you never used the stuff we wanted you to, so you can eff off" as the other systems they use should be secure too, Milo

I believe some of them do insist on it

The problem is that they assume - unless proved otherwise - that the compromise is on the customers computer, not their system. And given that, they take the stance that its not their problem
Having the stuff installed simply makes it harder for them to wriggle out by using that line of argument. Essentially the argument is, the softwares not on your machine, therefore your machine is at risk, therefore as you can't prove that the compromise wasn't on your machine, then tough

possibly a stupid question, but I'll ask anyhow...

does the software have to be running permanently, or can you just fire it up before doing your online banking?

I've now seen 8 PCs which were having random and varied problems - Windows wouldn't update on Vista, IE8 kept dropping etc etc. In each case, the problem was resolved by uninstalling Trusteer. When doing this, I was asked to inform Trusteer why I was uninstalling and which of the following list (about 20 items) were causing problems. Looks to me as though the software was released too early, and the general public are being used a quinea pigs.

Sounds like ex-M$ staff are running it.

Thanks everyone for your most valued input. My own bank, messrs. Lloyds TSB have never mentioned the trusteer Rapport software as a requirement to improve the security of banking transactions. They appear happy to rely on their own security systems with which I have never had a problem although I do my best to ensure that no nasties invade my machines.
In the case of MBNA the only access I have or need is the ability to read my statement. Apart from seeing part (but not all) my card number no hacker would be able to obtain my PIN or any other numbers needed to authorise a payment thus I feel fairly safe in not installing this software of dubious quality.

P.P.

I was using it until I upgraded to Mountain Lion OS X, at which point it stopped me accessing any secure websites, so I disabled it.

I've not heard of them insisting on it, but if they did, does that mean you aren't allowed to access your account from internet cafes, friend's computer's or non-PC based systems (strangely enough - I don't think there is an installer for my old Nokia which can still access the site)?

Doesn't seem likely that they are going to add that restriction.

I've not come across a bank insisting that the customer must use it, although several recommend it. If one insisted, that bank would lose my custom.