Saving Tesco "security" cookie

  • HR77's Avatar
    I've known for years that Tesco's IT has been clunky to the point of being muppet-like, but hopefully things have improved a bit (if not by much, judging from the idiotic rigmarole needed to log in for the first time today after registering . . . and then actually post a forum question.) I'm sick weary and tired of Tesco saying it doesn't recognise the device I'm on. I know why it doesn't: like all sensible computer users, I regularly dump all junk files including cookies from off my hard drive. I use one of the wolrd's most popular cleaners: CCleaner, software which allows me to manage session cookies in such a way that I can nominate which are to be saved from ever being deleted.Looking at my CCleaner cookies list immediately after logging out of Tesco Banking today, I see a list of cookies mentioned there relating to visits to other websites. But there's no mention of a tescobank or tescofinance cookie, or anything remotely similar. Question : how can one "save" a Tesco "security" cookie -- and if such is possible, what is the cookie's name? Thanks. Saving the darned thing should be a task lasting mere seconds in CCleaner, though as I'm using a Firefox browser I shall need to make sure that isn't also wiping cookies at session ends.
  • 7 Replies

  • Tesco-Bank's Avatar
    Your Community Expert
    Hi , thanks for getting in touch. Your Tesco Bank website cookie consent preferences are specific to the device and browser you are using at the time of consent. So, if you visit using a different browser you will need to set your cookie consent preferences again. Likewise, if you visit using a different device you will need to set your cookie consent preferences again. If you clear your cookies you will need to set your cookie consent preferences again, I'm afraid they can't be saved if you're clearing them.



    You can find out what cookies we use by following the link and clicking "Cookies used on our site" under "Cookie Policy". I hope this helps - Caroline



    https://www.tescobank.com/help/privacy-and-cookies/
  • uk's Avatar
    Does anyone know the security cookie's `Name`, so that I can list my browser's cookies to see if it's there? I have the problem that with some browsers the `security` cookie stays set, and with some other browsers it's lost every time, even though I choose to set it, and I need to get sent another 8-digit code to log on again. I suspect it might have something to do with my browser settings or with some browser add-on I have (perhaps a privacy add-on), so if I knew the cookie's `Name` I could make sure it's present. Or if it's present only until a browser add-on wipes it out perhaps I could whitelist it. Thanks.
  • Tesco-Bank's Avatar
    Your Community Expert
    Hi , thanks for your message. The name of the cookie is 'http://login.myproducts.tescobank.com'. If you have any issues with this in future, don't hesitate to get back in touch. I hope this helps :) - Brogan
  • uk's Avatar
    OK, I was able to retain the 'known device' status in Firefox (aka the 'security cookie' that obviates the need for obtaining a further 8-digit access code for subsequent online banking sessions) by changing a value in the browser's configuration. I went into about:config and changed the value for network.cookie.alwaysAcceptSessionCookies to true (default was false). Interesting to note that the mozillaZine specifies that the above setting only takes effect when network.cookie.lifetimePolicy is 1. While for me this other one is 0, but that doesn't seem to prevent the above one from working. It'd be good if could confirm whether the above setting makes the difference for him? As for others, if you've never changed advanced settings in Firefox you might choose to do it or not, depending on your level of confidence and how critical the smooth functioning of your workstation is. This is a setting that can be turned on an off, but in the wrong hands doing something wrong could wreck your browser. So the standard disclaimer goes: everyone would choose whether to do this at their own risk, and neither me or Tesco Bank is responsible for any consequences.
  • uk's Avatar
    A caveat to my previous entry: There are still circumstances in which the 'known device' status (the security cookie) is lost. It depends on what I do: If I stay either in the first screen that shows my account(s) with the transactions as tiles, or, after clicking on an account's arrow, the second screen that shows the transactions in list mode --and eventually log off from either of them--, the security cookie is retained. If I go a step further and click to manage the account, such as when heading to payments and standing orders, etc., after loging off the security cookie would have been lost. Perhaps that's due to the subdomain switch and the cookies not migrated properly across subdomains, or the initial setting of the Host or domain in the cookie preventing that (but only in Firefox, not Chrome). Specifically, the address bar URL for the first two screens for which this continues to work read like 'myproducts.tescobank.com', while the more advanced management screens after which the security cookie is lost read like 'banking.tescobank.com'. Well, at least I know I can inspect what's been going on with my account without losing my known device status, if not make changes to it. That's still progress.
  • uk's Avatar
    A further caveat is that the cookie is lost if the Firefox browser tab is used for anything else, e.g., navigating away from the online banking site even if I later come back to it, or if I close the tab. Even interacting with the Community site for a while and coming back to online banking seems to deactivate it. So basically the "solution" at the moment only holds if I it's a pinned tab that I only use to log in and out of online banking and don't close it. Probably too much to ask and this probably disqualifies the "solution" for most people :-( Except those who keep their browser tabs open while they don't reboot their computer (in my case I do, and most of the tabs open also across sleep and hibernation, so for me that'd still work -- though admittedly not for the vast majority).
  • ChristopherP's Avatar
    Your Community Expert
    It might be best to call our Online Helpdesk and they will be able to chat through this with you in more technical detail than we can! You can reach them on 0345 300 3511 (24/7) and they will be happy to help you.