Pin numbers are to be sent over the Internet for credit card customers of online bank Egg. Significant savings are expected following the move.

Egg estimates that every pin distributed electronically will save it 50p.

One problem the bank will have to overcome is the reticence of people to deal with financial matters over the Internet. In particular, the recent publicity about phishing and fake emails might exacerbate the situation.

However, customers of Egg will already be aware that is how the bank does business. Furthermore, banks face issues in delivering by post, with intercepted cards and pins a growing problem.

The technology centres on an encrypted gateway through the Internet. Vendor SafeNet has supplied the system based on the Luna SP secure hardware module.

A bolt-on to Egg's network, the module creates the gateway to link customers with an outsourcing company, which actually handles the Pins.

Identity is authenticated by the customer answering a series of personal queries.

Security features inclued Secure Sockets Layer internet tunnel, through which data is passed.

A Linux operating system runs the Pin application. In turn the application is sealed off from the rest of the network.

Security at the users end is enhanced by measures to ensure hackers can not obtain personal banking information from customer's browsers.

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