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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Bank of America planned to introduce SiteKey in 2005 as an online-banking login feature that checked for unfamiliar computers and used a challenge question and a customer-selected image. Although the plan was reported shortly after a major identity-theft case, the bank’s spokeswoman said the theft was unrelated to online banking and had nothing to do with SiteKey.
What was Bank of America’s SiteKey?
SiteKey was a planned online-banking security feature, not a physical security product. In a May 26, 2005 report, InfoWorld described it as a way to recognize when an account was accessed from an unknown computer. The feature would then present a predetermined challenge question. Customers could also choose an image that would appear again as a visual cue that they were on the bank’s site rather than a lookalike.
The report describes these as elements of the planned login process; it does not establish that any one element independently prevented fraud or authenticate a site by itself.
How was SiteKey supposed to roll out?
InfoWorld reported that Bank of America planned to begin offering SiteKey the following month, initially as an optional feature for customers in Tennessee. The article projected that the feature would reach all 13.2 million of the bank’s online-banking customers by October 2005 and would be mandatory by then. Those were expectations published in 2005, not verified evidence that the rollout occurred on that schedule or that SiteKey later became mandatory.
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- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
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Was SiteKey introduced because of the customer data theft?
The timing connected the two stories, but Bank of America’s spokeswoman denied a causal link. Betty Riess told Robert McMillan of InfoWorld that the recent identity theft “had nothing to do with online banking,” and declined to comment further. The contemporaneous report therefore supports describing SiteKey as a planned security initiative announced after the theft, not as a response to it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did the 2005 theft report say?
InfoWorld reported that information on about 60,000 Bank of America customers had been stolen in a case affecting about 676,000 customers across four banks: Bank of America, Wachovia, Commerce Bancorp and PNC. The article said police had charged 10 suspects, eight of whom it described as former bank employees. These are figures reported at the time, not independently reverified counts.
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- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
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The article also said some SiteKey software was developed by PassMark Security. It did not detail the company’s full role or establish the service’s later history. The account is based on Robert McMillan’s report, “After theft, Bank of America tightens online security,” published May 26, 2005; it does not cite an independent Bank of America or law-enforcement document.
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- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
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