Login problem

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MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

This is a two-part post.

I'd like to know if anyone has experienced anything similar to my problem and I'd like to
know the fix to the problem.

Several financial institutions started requiring me to enter a "one-time verification code"
before I can log in. This is in addition to my Username and Password.
They require me to receive the code via text or voice to my phone EVERY TIME I log in.

I discovered I could circumvent this nuisance by using another browser (MS Edge).

So has anyone else experienced this?
And what can I do with FF to make it behave the same way as MS Edge does?
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malliz
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Location: Australia

Re: Login problem

Post by malliz »

You blocking cookies or deleting them at the end of a session?
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dickvl
Posts: 54146
Joined: July 18th, 2005, 3:25 am

Re: Login problem

Post by dickvl »

Firefox 110 has a bug that if you remove cookies then all cookies are removed regardless of the time frame you select.
So update to the current release (111.0.1) to see if that gives the same issue
MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

dickvl wrote:Firefox 110 has a bug that if you remove cookies then all cookies are removed regardless of the time frame you select.
So update to the current release (111.0.1) to see if that gives the same issue

Thanks dick for helping out.
I'm not sure I understand the bug, as after I removed my cookies in an effort to troubleshoot the problem, I logged in many times.
Each time the problem returned.

But this time I updated to 111.0.1 and logged in, got the problem and logged in immediately after with no problem.

So I will try again tomorrow a few times to test things out and get back to you folks. :)
gdot179
Posts: 250
Joined: September 18th, 2009, 3:01 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by gdot179 »

Banks use much more than cookies.

I clear everything, including cookies, and my bank, BOA, does not require them.

About once every few months they do the extra verification step. This has always been the case for many years and many FF versions.

I use email for 2 step verification since I can bring Firefox and Thunderbird up on the screen and it takes seconds to transfer the code over.
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MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

gdot179 wrote:Banks use much more than cookies.

I clear everything, including cookies, and my bank, BOA, does not require them.

About once every few months they do the extra verification step. This has always been the case for many years and many FF versions.

I use email for 2 step verification since I can bring Firefox and Thunderbird up on the screen and it takes seconds to transfer the code over.
Thanks gdot this is very helpful!
I wish the bank staff were as up on this as you are.
I spent quite a bit of time discussing the matter with them on the phone.

They were basically telling me that it's unavoidable, it happens to everyone and it's for our 'security'.
Well it turns out (as I suspected) they were wrong on all counts.

So if what you said in your reply is correct (that it is not my cookies that is determining whether or not they will hit
me with the verif. code) what exactly is it? When you say you clear everything (cookies etc.) how are you avoiding the code?
What info is the bank relying on then and why did it hit me with the code every time?

Are you saying that something else in FF ver. 111 is taking care of the problem? What is it?
MS Edge needed one login and then it has been fine ever since.

I still don't get it now that you have told me about your cookie situation.

BTW, today on my first login there was no problem with FF.
gdot179
Posts: 250
Joined: September 18th, 2009, 3:01 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by gdot179 »

Banks and other financial institutions use many security services that are not their own.

Among other secrets, they check IP address, DNS address, your computers and modem MAC addresses, look at the info below your posts, geo location IE: are you where you say you are, and of course your login name, password and cookie, if available.

How often you are online with the bank normally, how much time you spend there, etc. is also available. There's more but you have to ask NSA in Maryland for that.

For those that think a VPN hides you, think again. Even Tor has a service to check any IP address for VPN connections.

It is all compiled instantly and decides if it's you signing in. Sometimes the algorithms are having a bad day and decide to double check and off you go and now it can check everything about your email and phone as well as the code.

There's lots more they double check after you login too..

That's why a cookie is not required.

I am on a highly modified but latest linux version of FF. I use FF entirely different than the average user. I allow all cookies but they are removed when I go from site to site. I won't go into any more since you are on Windows.

To be clear, any updates to FF does not and has not affected anything I have mentioned.
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TheVisitor
Posts: 5469
Joined: May 13th, 2012, 10:43 am

Re: Login problem

Post by TheVisitor »

I mostly use Private Browsing when logging into my Bank. It always comes back and 'Looks like your using a new computer we don't recognize.' Then wants to send me a one time access code.
MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

gdot179 wrote:Banks and other financial institutions use many security services that are not their own.

Among other secrets, they check IP address, DNS address, your computers and modem MAC addresses, look at the info below your posts, geo location IE: are you where you say you are, and of course your login name, password and cookie, if available.

How often you are online with the bank normally, how much time you spend there, etc. is also available. There's more but you have to ask NSA in Maryland for that...

To be clear, any updates to FF does not and has not affected anything I have mentioned.
Two things.

First I am happy to report that for the past week or so (since I downloaded the newest version of FF) I have been able to log into the two previously offending
banks without any verification code needed.

Second, if what you said above is true, that "FF does not and has not affected anything I have mentioned",
then are you saying it is purely a coincidence that all of a sudden after both banks have been giving me problems for weeks on end each
time I tried to log in, they both stopped with their verification on their own?
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LIMPET235
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Re: Login problem

Post by LIMPET235 »

Hi,
Just a FWIW...

Well, after OPTUS got hacked & lost a heap of customer's info., they've started to up their log in procedure.

I go to My Account site & fill out the usual entries but then I receive a notification that they've sent me
another 6 digit, one time use, log in code to my phone.

After I enter the code, the My Accounts page opens & I am good to go.

They are just a little bit late to update their "so called security" system...... AFAIAC.
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BoogaHead
Posts: 81
Joined: May 27th, 2012, 3:47 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by BoogaHead »

I was able to get through financial services with a fake email and code and this is big money so if dumb blonde 47yo me can do it? Get my drift?
MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

Thanks Limpet and BoogaHead for your help.

Now I've got some bad news again and I'm really pissed!

I was on the phone just now with a bank to discuss another matter and I wanted to log in to check something.
Bang! Same problem again. It was asking for the verification code!

I immediately tried MS Edge and it also had the same problem!
I have been logging into two banks for more than a week now, twice a day (as tests)
and each time it has worked.
Now all of a sudden the code request has started again.

I have a theory about this but would like to hear from others first if they are experiencing this?
Like I said I am really pissed about this.
I though it might be a FF thing but Edge is doing it too now. :(



Not connected, but even though I have 'notify me when a reply is posted' I don't get notified most of the time.
josegot1
Posts: 7
Joined: August 21st, 2022, 5:18 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by josegot1 »

Using latest FF version, but cannot connect to PNC Bank. Error code: CODE 18 - 174.48.215.159. They could not help.
Rarely it connects, but when I enter the asked for code it does not recognize it. Too much fancy Dan crap on their side. However, Chrome and Edge open it without issue So why is FF a problem?
TheVisitor
Posts: 5469
Joined: May 13th, 2012, 10:43 am

Re: Login problem

Post by TheVisitor »

Try clearing your cache and cookies for that site and see if you can get it to work. No idea why the ocher browsers work without the 2 factor verification.
Access the PNC bank main page don't try to login yet.
Click on the Padlock in the URL/Address bar - click on clear cookies and site data.
Close the browser, then try to access the bank and see if you can get in. You may still the verifiy code but I know of no reason if you input it correctly it would not work.
MozillaMonkey
Posts: 510
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 7:52 pm

Re: Login problem

Post by MozillaMonkey »

TheVisitor wrote:Try clearing your cache and cookies for that site and see if you can get it to work. No idea why the ocher browsers work without the 2 factor verification.
Access the PNC bank main page don't try to login yet.
Click on the Padlock in the URL/Address bar - click on clear cookies and site data.
Close the browser, then try to access the bank and see if you can get in. You may still the verifiy code but I know of no reason if you input it correctly it would not work.
I don't know if your advice is for me or Jose in the post above this?

I am VERY reluctant to clear any more cache and cookies from here on in.
I know from previous experience each time I did that I was FORCED to do the two-step code verification, which is what I am
trying to avoid.

After I got the two-step code verification on April 1 (it was not a funny joke) I have been able to log in each day and am still testing
at least once each day. It works with FF and Edge now.
But one bank agent told me it should only come up once every 5 or 6 months. I could live with that but not with what they
are throwing at me now.

A couple of weeks ago it was every time I tried to log in (FF).
Then it stopped for a week or so.
Then as I just said, it started once again, one time and has settled down for now.
But I want to fix this for good.
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