An Internet run on the bank

[<rms () computerbytesman com>]

(A side question:  Does Hitwise use client-side software to monitor people's
Internet usage?)

Richard

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/18/nrock918.xml

Fears rise over online banking problems 
By Harry Wallop
Last Updated: 2:30am BST 18/09/2007

Many of Northern Rock's customers accused the bank of restricting access to
its website to slow down the billions of pounds being withdrawn from the
bank.

Northern Rock's system repeatedly crashed over the weekend. Once customers
could get online many found it took repeated attempts to conduct their
transactions.

The internet traffic monitoring company Hitwise said visits to the bank's
internet site tripled last Friday, an unprecedented increase in customer
numbers that neither the servers nor Northern Rock's software was able to
cope with.

However, customers posting messages on internet chat rooms were suspicious.

"A friend of mine works for the Northern Rock in their IT section," wrote
Jeremy Bradshaw, of London, on the BBC website. "Apparently they have been
told to deliberately limit access to online accounts in an attempt to stop
customers withdrawing their cash.

"It could be possible Northern Rock will be unable to repay all of its
customers."

The bank would not give any details about its software but denied the
slowness was deliberate.



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