UK bank pulls down pants password

Stephen Withers
Monday, 01 September 2008 10:56

Your IT - Home IT

One of Britain's major banks changed a customer's telephone banking password when he used it as a way of expressing displeasure with the company. The incident has led to the dismissal of a staff member.

According to a BBC report, Lloyds TSB customer Steve Jetley set his password to "Lloyds is pants" following an insurance-related disagreement.

He was surprised - though amused - to discover it had been changed to "no it's not".

The BBC quoted Jetley as saying "But what really incensed me was when I was told I could not change it back to 'Lloyds is pants' because they said it was not appropriate. I asked if it was 'pants' they didn't like, and would 'Lloyds is rubbish' do? But they didn't think so. So I tried 'Barclays is better' and that didn't go down too well either."

A bank spokesperson apologised to Jetley, and explained that in most cases staff members are not able to see customers' passwords, the exception being business accounts that are set up to allow more than one person to check the balances.

"The member of staff involved no longer works for Lloyds TSB," the spokesperson told the BBC.

That's all a bit naughty, and I'm inclined to agree with the bank that changing a customer's password without proper authority is a sacking offence.

The whole security model seems suspect if bank staff can see the existing password. Please read on.