lax internet security @ top IFA

May 20, 2004 9 Replies
A

I'm looking for a bit of advice... while logged on to the internet site of a top uk IFA and browsing my portfolio details ... the site started to display other people's portfolios... clients names, holdings etc ... Phoned the IFA to complain... they said they would investigate and get back to me within 2 hours... a few days later no answer..



I phoned them back to chase up etc ... when I talked about restoring confidence in their online service the advisor then went to say that there was nothing they could do... that he had worked in a bank and they "sweep this sort of stuff under the carpet" and that was the best thing...



I was appalled and asked to speak to the MD... he said he doesn't speak to anyone who isn't a personal client of his... eventually spoke to the "client services" director who said he would investigate and phone me back before close of business... (this was in the morning) ... he didn't but I got an email from their IT dept saying they had fixed the problem ... I used the service again this morning... and halfway through it starts showing me someone elses portfolio....



What should I do? (other than quietly take my business elsewhere)?



Andrew


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D

Complain to the Information Commissioner?

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R

Contact Data Protection on 01625 545740 / 545745.

Rob Graham

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In article , Andrew writes

Contact the personal finance editor of your favourite newspaper.

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J

The message from "Andrew" contains these words:

Had those been mine and you'd informed me I'd have been jumping all over that IFA. Doesn't the data protection act cover this *accidental* stuff? or is that a get out?

Tell everybody whose details you find? Or is that 'agin the law'? Jim (back to lurking)

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A

Interestingly ... the customer service director phoned back today to tell me that previous problem was down to a "unique combinations of circumstances... fixed now" "millions to one against it happening"... he was a bit gobsmacked when I said it was still happening...

it doesn't (hasn't?) shown me the other clients contact details ... just names, and holdings, recent purchases etc...

I would have though the professi> The message

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J

Sure, but that's a PR disaster, this way, they're only really demonstrating they're problems to you and a few uk.finance people - that doesn't matter, if they close the service to everyone then everyone knows their site is a flawed.

Much easier to just blindly go on ignoring the fundamental problem - inexperienced security based web-authors, after all, there's little immediate risk.

why haven't you named them?

Jim.

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R

I don't see why you don't tell us who they are.

Rob Graham

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They're clearly full of s*it. Take some screen copies by using the Print Screen key and paste them into Word or Paint and email them to the finance editors of the national newspapers along with a copy of what they told you.

Why haven't you named them ?

Daytona

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A

I think its fixed now... never the less I will e-mail the press and let them persue further... I'll take advice on naming them in this NG ... other than this internet business there not a bad IFA... its easier to ruin a reputation than recreate it ... and I wouldn't want to get into any argument re libel (though to the best of my recollection I have reported it as it happened).

Andrew

Dayt> They're clearly full of s*it. Take some screen copies by using the

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