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Less secure apps and your Google Account

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Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#141

Post by tomxor »

exhilaration wrote: post #123
Lucasoato wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using Firefox for years, never faced this issue before... have you tried updating your browser?

Seconding this. I'm running Firefox on mac, with the built-in "Enhanced Tracking Protection" enabled, and uBlock Origin with the default settings. I've never seen that error. I don't use a VPN and I'm in the United States.

I only use uBlock Origin and the built in tracking protection. However I do not use Firefox defaults: I block all third party cookies and don't save cache/history on exit.. I guess it could well be the latter that Google finds "unusual" and frankly, this is what is pushing me away... I don't care what the metric is, I want to be in control, i'm not an idiot who tries to log in from ancient browsers or not understand the risk of logging in from a computer I don't own... But Google is optimising for the 99% at the risk of locking out 1%, that seems careless to me.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#142

Post by rcMgD2BwE72F »

tomxor wrote: post #26
einpoklum wrote: post #17

I suggest all HN readers use this opportunity to stop using Google accounts, if they haven't done so already. Potential benefits: * Better privacy (on many/most alternatives); Google will no longer read your email, store it for use by themselves and their partners, and perhaps pass a copy along to the NSA as Edward Snowden has revealed happens. * Less exposure to manipulative ads, and lower finesse of manipulation du…

What are the leading recommendations these days? is it still mainly protonmail? I think the features I value most are U2F support and a usable but simple web interface (Gmail's web interface has actually gotten consistency worse over the last decade so I guess that sets a low bar).

I switched from Protonmail to Fastmail (with by own domain) and couldn't be happier. Protonmail locks you in their own clients (on Android at least) and they're shitty (e.g no thread view).

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#143

Post by tomxor »

itvision wrote: post #115
tomxor wrote: post #16

I've noticed gmail randomly blocks Firefox these days under the pretence of "your browser may not be secure" (i.e it doesn't persist through page refreshes), similar to how they try to make you do a captcha unless you refresh the page... I seem to have less and less control over where and how I am allowed to sign in (even thought I'm using a U2F key), and as a result I'm definitely getting pushed closer to the thresh…

I've got six google accounts and never seen this message while connecting from my normal IP address or a random VPN provider (so hundreds of users sharing the same IP address). I presume something is wrong with your Firefox profile.

> I presume something is wrong with your Firefox profile.

It occurs randomly and across multiple fresh OS installs... it's Google, doesn't mean everyone will experience it, but it's annoying.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#144

Post by Piskvorrr »

bloak wrote: post #18

So what are the options for people who like to download all their e-mail onto a Linux box and handle it locally?

Use a client that implements this authentication protocol - or pick a different mail provider. I know GMail is convenient, but as you're obviously aware, its cost is not just surrendering your data.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#145

Post by dewey »

garblegarble wrote: post #116
auslegung wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You absolutely should own your own domain and use it to email somewhere besides Google. I use Fastmail but ProtonMail is great, tutanota, mailfence, etc. Getting locked out of your email is no joke you don’t want to be in that situation. I have a paid account with Fastmail and a free account with protonmail just in case something goes wrong with Fastmail I can transition my free protonmail account to paid and use it…

Just a reminder to everybody that Fastmail is an Australian company, and is therefore subject to Australia's TOLA / Assistance And Access. I avoid them like the plague for this reason. Having your e-mail provider compelled to work against your interests is no joke and you may not want to be in that situation.

Maybe it's just me but I don't have "Australia going to force my email provider to hand over my data" in my threat model.

It's probably worth thinking about that too before hastily switching email providers. Fastmail is a solid provider, with great support and I never had a real issue with them. I give them money, they provide me a good and stable email service.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#146

Post by tomxor »

mrtranscendence wrote: post #134
bjt2n3904 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have a domain, that's just another liability for email security. Look at what NameCheap did. Imagine losing your domain for some reason -- even forgetting to renew. All your contacts need a new address now, and until then it's dropped emails. A custom domain is mostly a vanity measure. It does allow you to migrate to a new email service if your provider cancels your subscription, I suppose... But I'd rather on…

This has happened to me, briefly. I once forgot to renew and lost access to email. Luckily I was able to fix the issue quickly. I do kind of wish I had never gone down the route of using my own domain for email. I use gmail with it, and will now have to bear a recurring payment of $6 monthly (IIRC). I could move hosts but none of them are free to my knowledge, and a free service comes with its own risks anyway. Plus…

> and will now have to bear a recurring payment of $6 monthly

Is this the cost for gmail to use a custom domain? or is it a very expensive domain name spread over 12 months?

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#147

Post by willis936 »

fartcannon wrote: post #137
bjt2n3904 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have a domain, that's just another liability for email security. Look at what NameCheap did. Imagine losing your domain for some reason -- even forgetting to renew. All your contacts need a new address now, and until then it's dropped emails. A custom domain is mostly a vanity measure. It does allow you to migrate to a new email service if your provider cancels your subscription, I suppose... But I'd rather on…

So without a domain whoever owns the domain you're using can deplatform you. The result is dropped emails at that address forever. With your own domain, the registrar can pull a namecheap and cancel your country. The result is temporarily dropped emails while you transfer to another domain registrar. You can set the registrar to autorenew.

I de-googled last year but still use google domains as my registrar. It's just so darn cheap and includes DDNS. I've looked at alternatives and I haven't been able to strongly identify one I trust more than google (as strange as that sounds). How do other people pick a registrar that they trust?

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#148

Post by vntok »

pdpi wrote: post #54
alar44 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your device is probably pwned. But go ahead and blame Google. I love how people just ignore these warnings.

“Your browser might not be secure” is a worthless error message. If you have a strong reason to believe this is the case, you should tell me. If you don’t tell me, I’m going to assume you don’t have a good reason, and you’re just scaremongering.

They are telling you.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#150

Post by mrtranscendence »

tomxor wrote: post #146
mrtranscendence wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This has happened to me, briefly. I once forgot to renew and lost access to email. Luckily I was able to fix the issue quickly. I do kind of wish I had never gone down the route of using my own domain for email. I use gmail with it, and will now have to bear a recurring payment of $6 monthly (IIRC). I could move hosts but none of them are free to my knowledge, and a free service comes with its own risks anyway. Plus…

> and will now have to bear a recurring payment of $6 monthly Is this the cost for gmail to use a custom domain? or is it a very expensive domain name spread over 12 months?

Google is phasing out free "apps for your domain" accounts, so starting in a few months it will be necessary to pay a monthly fee per user.
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