A concerned online banking customer is advising others to promptly update their passwords following their own frustrating experience of being unable to access their account.

A customer of Commonwealth Bank has advised fellow users to consider updating their passwords following a log-on error encountered. A frustrated customer attempted to access their bank account on both the website and app on Monday around 11:30 p.m., only to be met with a denial of access.

“Neither my password nor my pin were correct,” the customer said on social media.

“I haven’t changed both of these since I opened the account in 2018—which now I’m thinking is not a good practice.”

The individual reported that they managed to access their account without any issues after an hour, and their funds remained intact. They also received notifications regarding unsuccessful password change attempts.

“Luckily, I can reset it easily, and there was no suspicious transaction, and my money is still in there,” they said.

The customer strongly advised other online bank users to finally reset their password and pin, a task they had neglected for years. The customer expressed their fear of hacking, saying they couldn’t sleep due to their anxiety.

“Other than resetting my password and pin, I’ve locked my card temporarily and changed the withdrawal limit to $100,” they said.

“I don’t have a lot of money, and I have no family for a safety net.”

“That’s all I have, and I’ve worked so hard for it.”

When reaching out on social media, the customer inquired about other customers’ cybersecurity insights.

“It’s important (CommBank) are made aware of this ASAP,” one person said.

“They will be able to tell you if there were any new log ins or changes to pins or passwords,” he said.

“If not, most likely just a server or internet error, it doesn’t have to be maintenance. It happens.

“But yes, banks go down all the time now and sometimes for ages, so having a backup account is a good idea.

“Also, make sure you have a strong password.”

Another individual reported experiencing similar issues when attempting to log in.

“Yeah, I get incorrect passwords sometimes,” one customer said. “It usually works 15-20 minutes later.”

A spokesperson from CBA informed 7 News that no internal problems were reported on Monday night that could have resulted in the login issues. CBA declined to comment further on the incident, citing the need for additional information to properly identify the customer involved.

CBA offers valuable information on its website regarding online safety, including helpful tips on password security. It is highly recommended for CommBank customers to utilise two-factor authentication and avoid using the same passwords for multiple accounts.

Editors Publicspectrum

Website | + posts

Public Spectrum is the first knowledge-sharing platform in Australia to embrace the entire public sector. This website is a platform where you can connect, collaborate, empower, inspire, and upskill with public sector professionals.

• DTA on advancing generative AI data trial
• Strengthening AI governance in the public sector
• Digital engineering framework advances data management
• GenAI enhances educational data management