Has CRA changed something in the last 2 days with respect to their website security? Has anybody who uses Tab Reloader in Chrome noticed that it no longer works on the CRA website?
Every time I switch back to that tab in Chrome, I am logged out - no matter whether it’s been 2 minutes or 20 minutes. The only thing that changed in the last couple days (that I know of), was a major Chrome update (with new feature for “tab groups”). Is that what’s causing the issue?
Firefox still works.
seems to be working OK in MS Edge as well.
Working here on Chrome. Might be the reloader you are using? Could need an update. You could also try a different one.
I use a Chrome extension called “Page Refresh” (catchy title). It seems to work ok. Sometimes I forget to set it for the RAC page and it times out on me. Very frustrating!
@helga_spence @LMK @Arliss @kevin
Thanks for replies everyone
Did some more testing and found that it works as long as I don’t put the CRA tab in a “tab group” (the new Chrome feature). So, it seems that new Chrome feature is the problem, or “Tab Reloader” needs to be updated to work with that feature. Maybe I’ll try “Page Refresh” or one of the other variants to see if they work.
The tab has to stay separated and “live” or the reloader/refresher doesn’t work. No idea why…but it’s true on other sites as well.
This one seems to work well (see icon in top right) and also seems - so far - to have no objectionable “other” activities.
Uh oh…this seems to have become a problem once more, at least for me. I changed to a new server (Win22…which I am not liking much) running Firefox, and my trusty Tab Reloader works…but only kind of. When I log into RAC I see my usual client login and two others (yes, I have several accounts) and when Tab Reloader reloads…it seems to go to that page…not holding the client info as it always used to. And, if I’m idle long enough, it times out.
I’ve been using the same system for YEARS without problem. Anyone else having this?
I am having issues as well.
What happens when you just do an F5 page refresh?
It either goes to a blank screen here https://apps5.ams-sga.cra-arc.gc.ca/gol-ged/mima/ngbeta/ or kicks back to the choose your adventure screen.
I am not alone. Misery loves company.
Yes! Same here…just goes back to the entry page.
TEST 1: Changed to a different machine (still Firefox). Mostly the same. If on a page with a “form” (ie a table listing of payments on an RC, RP or RT account), sometimes I get a …blank…page…that eventually times out back to the choose your adventure page (I like that term!!).
It does NOT happen on a page where there is no tax data (ie a SERS page where no SERS have ever been filed).
TEST 2: Same with Chrome; corp or personal…no difference
I’ll probably try a couple of other browsers, but there’s nothing I think at our end that is causing this…just BAD PROGRAMMING AGAIN!
Grrrr…SO annoying.
Now that you mention it, yes - that is new behaviour as of today. Hadn’t been using RAC much today, so I didn’t realize it until I tested it. I get the same thing - goes to blank screen, then when I refresh (F5) back to the “choose your adventure” page (lol - I like that description @AlbertaEFileT )
Would also be nice that after entering our SIN, BN or trust number that hitting an enter would get you going. More bad programming.
That’s the one that annoyed me most for some reason. Found out you can tab over to the enter button from the sin/bn/tn field so you don’t have to mouse click. Still a stupid, unnecessary change on the CRA’s side of things. Just like most things they do.
TEST 3: Single keypress does not maintain tab open, nor do multiple keypresses (with no associated onscreen “action”)
I’m beginning to think this is “done by design”…ie they DO NOT want us using tab reloaders to maintain open sessions, but want us to be “active” on the site and then close it down. Wonder if this is a resource hog or some similar issue for them, or they just really don’t give a &^%$%_^.
Yes, I agree. But, I assumed that from the start - it’s a security loop-hole that anything should be able to keep a connection open after a legitimate user has completed their “current interaction”. Most websites (including CRA) give users some grace period (i.e. 5-10 minutes) before forcing the connection closed (i.e. logout). The fact that Tab Reloader can trick the website into thinking “the user is still interacting” is circumventing their security protocols. But, we (accountants) want to improve our efficiency (reduce time spent logging in), and we assess the security risk as low, because we believe there is no-one else that could be accessing that connection without our knowledge. In most cases, that belief is correct, because we are sitting in front of our computer where that web browser is open, and we rely on security hardware/software to detect or prevent malicious actors that may have gained access to our computer surreptitiously (i.e.key loggers, etc).
A tab reloader isn’t going to make any difference if a bad actor has access to your sessions.
This becomes “security theatre” on CRA’s part when it comes to us. Or just bad programming.
To stay logged in? Great idea! Any conflicts with secure pages that you’ve noticed? Banking sites?
I figure it’s because of all the scams and fraud. Maybe they’ve found people walking away from their computer and then someone using their login. Who knows… just takes one major lawsuit and it’ll changes for everyone… At least they’ve integrated the various logins (My account, RAC, My Business)