Should Online Banking Use Flash for Verification?

A user asks: "One of my banks has instituted a new 'Secure Sign-in' setup. They allow you to register your computer with them so that you don't have to go through the new extra security steps. This involves the use of cookies -and- Flash Objects: 'Adobe Flash objects store data in much the same way that cookies do on your computer. If you have Flash installed, we can recognize your computer in the event that you erase all your cookies.' This requirement of Flash will probably negate my ability to access my bank account when running Linux on my PowerMac since Flash Player is not available for it(haven't tested it yet). However, the real question is: Is Flash a good, secure option that a bank should use to help identify you?"

Re:Requiring additional browser plugins is a bad i

[TheGreek]

The idea itself isn't bad, but the requirement to install a third-party software add-on isn't, especially one which is only available for a few platforms.

I think you misspelled "99% of the people who use the Internet."

Dear Slashdot,

[American AC in Paris]

Recently, I've moved from a house that had an electric water heater to a house with a gas water heater. Sadly for me, this means that I'll no longer be able to use my custom-built circuit monitoring hardware (which uses a Linux-based electricity usage tracking app I wrote myself!) to estimate what percentage of my monthly electrical bill was used to generate hot water. However, the real question is: is it really a good idea to pound on the gas main with a ball-peen hammer?

Wrong answer

[mrchaotica]

You must be mistaken. The correct answer is "Hell, no! " or "Fuck, no!" or "No, and you should be executed for having suggested it!"

Hope that clears things up. : )

Re:Dear Slashdot,

[ajlitt]

Of course not. An acetylene torch is the appropriate destructor for a gas main.