i can't log in to any of my banks without my phone. Most of the systems in my workplace also require phone app authentication. I can't do any of those things with just a PC or laptop. Smartphones being the smallest and portable are surely the most lost and stolen. If someone got a hold of my PC or laptop - they would be able to do some damage, but not even close to if they were able to access my phone. Everything everywhere nowadays requires some app.
Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
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Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#2>i can't log in to any of my banks without my phone.
Don't know about banks in Europe but in USA, I can log into Bank Of America and JP Morgan Chase without any phone authentication.
If I reformat my harddrive or buy a new computer and the bank doesn't recognize the web browser because no previous cookie has been found, the website will generate a one-time code and send it to my email address. I then enter that security code and the web browser is "recognized" without further issue. The smartphone was not needed in any step.
EDIT ADD: I did open my bank accounts before 2007 and thus before the smartphone era. Because of that, there may be a possibility that my logins are "grandfathered in" to not require any smartphone app authentication. It's possible that opening new accounts today with BofA/Chase require smartphones but somebody else would have to confirm/deny that.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#3Indeed it's incredibly stupid development. Fuck smartphones, really. I don't own one and I feel happy overall, but life is complicated because nowadays some sort of stupid app is required (most of the time, for no good reason) and dealing with those requirements always cost so much thinking.
I don't want a micro-computer in my pocket, I stay at the computer all day anyway, a better one.
Why can't I do with a real computer what it is possible to be done with a phone?
A smartphone is just a tracking device, and it is terrible for privacy - but great for advertisers and similar industries.
Otherwise, a computer should be able to do everything a smartphone does.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#4But that’s kinda convinient [1]. The problem is, that there’s no real proper fallback/backup-plan.
[1] not only it’s convinient, it’s also similar to what all the future predictions regarding technology said. Some small gadget or bracelet connecting over air and doing stuff.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#5Because using phone numbers to decide if human or bot is cheap, easy, and effective.
Politically, there is no will for a national identity verification type service as infrastructure. And this way, all the work gets outsourced to ATT/Verizon/T-Mobile, and politicians get to say “it is not our fault” and telecoms get to say “it is not our job”.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#6Probably because I've heard the statement: "Everyone has a smartphone these days, so..." for the description of every app you describe. It makes some sense: single purpose devices for authentication tend to be set aside and misplaced. So it's the union of ubiquity and ease of use.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#7Are you saying all of these systems enforce SMS-based 2FA rather than the sane choice of TOTP? That's unwise and unfortunate.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#8All my OTPs are in Bitwarden and FreeOTP.
The only thing I currently need my phone for is Google's new device login and even that goes to my tablet too.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#9Are you saying all of these systems enforce SMS-based 2FA rather than the sane choice of TOTP? That's unwise and unfortunate.
Many enforce 2FA through their own app, so TOTP is not an option.
Re: Ask HN: Why did smartphones become a single point of failure?
#10>i can't log in to any of my banks without my phone. Don't know about banks in Europe but in USA, I can log into Bank Of America and JP Morgan Chase without any phone authentication. If I reformat my harddrive or buy a new computer and the bank doesn't recognize the web browser because no previous cookie has been found, the website will generate a one-time code and send it to my email address. I then enter that secur…
In Italy it's a disaster. You need the phone /and/ their specific app, for mostly everything. From burgers, to banks and everything in between...