CapitalOne

Wow! I'm not too sure I understand what did happen at CapitalOne here!? I got the page presented at the bottom for a little while and now it seems to work just fine (I get what I assume would be the regular login screen.) It could be that they were protecting their users from different bad emails going around (like this one.) This is still really weird!

Okay, usually, I don't mind too much what businesses do... but now that's becoming really really really bad!!!

I suppose Banks are not listening to what is happening in the world and thus they have to do the contrary of what would be logical. Oh! No! Wait... Bill Gates owns all the banks, doesn't he? Well... most certainly because for a large bank like CapitalOne to tell you to get Internet Explorer 5.5 to access your account, I really don't see how that's even remotely sensical.

Read what follows. I'm not making that up. This is a page from CapitalOne. First of all, they ask you to be using either Microsoft Windows or Macintosh. In case they did not know, there are two systems out there which are being attacked all the time: Microsoft Windows and Macintosh (Am I repeating myself here?!)

Okay. Hmmm... most of their customers are MS-Windows users, so it would make some sense to say that you should be able to access their system with MS-Windows.

So... what's next?! You need to have at least Internet 5.5. I think that's for Win98 users, right? Because I have been seeing version 6.x under Win2k from day one (maybe day two.) So not only they request that you have MS-Windows, but Win98. We're in 2007. Should you protect Win98 users by asking them to use Internet Explorer 5.5?!

Alright, next...

Your browser does not support 128-bit encryption.

Wow! Okay... right... hmmm... so that means their server does not support sensical encryption in 2007?! That is, you know, 256 bits encryption. Us under Linux have been using 256 bits for ages. I mean, really, from before 2000 or so. People using Internet Explorer 6.x under whatever system they still are on 128 bits encryption. Who's talking to who, what?! Am I reading something written by a bank to a customer? (I mean, you know, if I were, I'd have to talk to them about their idiosyncrasy!)

Alright. Now I feel super secure. Let's read the last sentence to have a good laugh now:

We regret any inconvenience this may cause but, with these policies, we strive to keep your account information as secure as possible.

And don't tell anybody that I told you this. Just use another bank if you want to use the Internet in some sort of half secure way!

The following is what I get from my ultra secure Linux server using the most recent version of the browser I prefer which understands 256 bits encryption since... well! does it matter that it has existed for years?!
Check out for yourself!
https://service.capitalone.com/oas/login.do

Page Title: Capital One Online Account Services: Browser Alert
	You cannot access Online Account Services with your current Web browser. Possible reasons for this could be one of the following: You are using a browser that is incompatible with our Online Account Services system. We suggest Netscape version 6.1 or higher or Internet Explorer version 5.5 or higher. For Macintosh users, we suggest Internet Explorer version 4.5 or higher. Your browser does not support 128-bit encryption. Download free Web browsers Internet Explorer: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.asp Netscape: http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp We regret any inconvenience this may cause but, with these policies, we strive to keep your account information as secure as possible.