[thelist] Keylogging and pin entry fields (and an attempt at a clean solution)

Christian Heilmann codepo8 at gmail.com
Wed Nov 23 14:30:09 CST 2005


I had to deal with a client requirement today that puzzled me. The
product is a banking application and there will be a login that
requires a 4 number pin.

Now, normally I'd have used a password field for that - as it is the
most accessible solution, but the client requested a pin entry pad
like the ones you see on cash machines.

The users should use their mouse to enter the pin.

The reason (not marketing as I originally thought): Keylogging
software that might record the pins users enter. Therefore as a safety
measure the pin pad was requested.

I came up with a DOM solution for the issue and would appreciate some
feedback and testing of it. If it were to be considered good, I will
release it as a download later:

http://www.icant.co.uk/sandbox/pinpad/test.html

More info and comment facility on the blog:
http://www.wait-till-i.com/index.php?p=193

I really wonder if there is a non-JavaScript dependent solution to
this problem. Well, 4 dropdowns with 0 to 9 would be one, but that is
as trackable, isn't it?

--
Chris Heilmann
Blog: http://www.wait-till-i.com
Writing: http://icant.co.uk/
Binaries: http://www.onlinetools.org/



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