SPAM random annoying things

[Aoami]

Being awake at 3:20 for no real reason at all

I've got the opposite problem of waking up too late recently. Normally wake up naturally between 6 and 6.30 but I'm sure it's darker than normal at the moment, and there is no noise from traffic, so I'm sleeping late.

 

[Gwadien]

Cynical part of me wonders if it's a ploy to turn "the left" against the license fee.

More like they had to appoint this dude or licence fees were going to be scrapped.

I'm still bewildered by this, it's so open and blatant, I used to say the difference between our corruption and third world corruption is that we're better at hiding it.

Now we (or they) simply don't care anymore because I guess the people don't care.

 

[Raven]

Who got booted out of celebrity pit mining tho?

 

[caLLous]

Out of everybody that implements 2-factor auth, why is it that financial institutions are so half-arsed about it? I've been reviewing the security of my "important" accounts - including moving from Google Authenticator to a Yubikey - since a data leak kind of affected me and it seems like all I can do for some financial places (eg xe.com) is provide a phone number for them to send me a code via SMS to input. That's not good enough.

 

[MYstIC G]

I've got the opposite problem of waking up too late recently. Normally wake up naturally between 6 and 6.30 but I'm sure it's darker than normal at the moment, and there is no noise from traffic, so I'm sleeping late.

I think with me it's because I'm on annual leave this week. Except there's nothing to do so I've just got too much energy

 

[DaGaffer]

Out of everybody that implements 2-factor auth, why is it that financial institutions are so half-arsed about it? I've been reviewing the security of my "important" accounts - including moving from Google Authenticator to a Yubikey - since a data leak kind of affected me and it seems like all I can do for some financial places (eg xe.com) is provide a phone number for them to send me a code via SMS to input. That's not good enough.

Have xe.com secured the phone?

 

[caLLous]

Have xe.com secured the phone?

Secured how? XE have my mobile number in my account details (I was shunted across from HiFX when they merged). I enter my username and password, they then send a code to that number (assuming I control it) which then needs to be entered before I'll be allowed access.

 

[DaGaffer]

Secured how? XE have my mobile number in my account details (I was shunted across from HiFX when they merged). I enter my username and password, they then send a code to that number (assuming I control it) which then needs to be entered before I'll be allowed access.

Yeah but are you going through an app on the phone or are they just SMSing you direct? You can use SMS if the phone is secured (via an app with appropriate security) because they have covered something you know (UN/PW) and something you have (the secured phone).

 

[caLLous]

Yeah but are you going through an app on the phone or are they just SMSing you direct? You can use SMS if the phone is secured (via an app with appropriate security) because they have covered something you know (UN/PW) and something you have (the secured phone).

Ah, no. I log in via the website on the computer. I never had a HiFX app and only started getting asked for the SMS code when they merged with XE.

 

[DaGaffer]

Ah, no. I log in via the website on the computer. I never had a HiFX app and only started getting asked for the SMS code when they merged with XE.

OK, in that case they are breaking PSD2 if you are doing payments via them. They need to auth with two from "thing you are" (e.g. biometrics), "thing you have" (e.g. a secured device - which can be a PC, but very rarely is unless they've given you some extra security software) and "thing you know" (UN/PW). SMS is still acceptable with a secured device, but actually not acceptable with an unsecured device and biometrics (which is actually what lots of banks have) because its a SIM swap risk, which is why a phone number alone isn't enough for "thing you have".

 

[Ormorof]

OK, in that case they are breaking PSD2 if you are doing payments via them. They need to auth with two from "thing you are" (e.g. biometrics), "thing you have" (e.g. a secured device - which can be a PC, but very rarely is unless they've given you some extra security software) and "thing you know" (UN/PW). SMS is still acceptable with a secured device, but actually not acceptable with an unsecured device and biometrics (which is actually what lots of banks have) because its a SIM swap risk, which is why a phone number alone isn't enough for "thing you have".

Not expecting much PSD2 stuff until next week, barely noticeable increase across EU from my side of things, Nordics turning it on Monday so should get exciting

 

[caLLous]

its a SIM swap risk, which is why a phone number alone isn't enough for "thing you have".

Which is exactly why I'm securing everything and frustrated about their apparent lack of options.

Like I said, I was a customer of HiFX, they merged with (or were bought by or whatever) XE and I've been able to use my HiFX credentials to login to the new site since (seamlessly, I was redirected to XE's login page from HiFX's). It's only since this leak (which was only my email address but it was on a marketing list of a crypto hardware wallet manufacturer) that I've been digging around, tightening everything up and discovering that I couldn't add a different form of 2FA via XE's website. I've installed their app (I don't even think HiFX had one tbh) and am now using my fingerprint to auth with it but they were definitely just sending a text to me containing a code to put into the website beforehand.

I've seen enough horror stories of SIM swapping and people social-engineering their way to a complete framework of a person's data, starting with nothing but their email address, to scare me away from SMS/email as an authentication method for life.

 

[DaGaffer]

Which is exactly why I'm securing everything and frustrated about their apparent lack of options.

Like I said, I was a customer of HiFX, they merged with (or were bought by or whatever) XE and I've been able to use my HiFX credentials to login to the new site since (seamlessly, I was redirected to XE's login page from HiFX's). It's only since this leak (which was only my email address but it was on a marketing list of a crypto hardware wallet manufacturer) that I've been digging around, tightening everything up and discovering that I couldn't add a different form of 2FA via XE's website. I've installed their app (I don't even think HiFX had one tbh) and am now using my fingerprint to auth with it but they were definitely just sending a text to me containing a code to put into the website beforehand.

I've seen enough horror stories of SIM swapping and people social-engineering their way to a complete framework of a person's data, starting with nothing but their email address, to scare me away from SMS/email as an authentication method for life.

Dump 'em. Plenty of other FX companies out there.

 

[caLLous]

Dump 'em. Plenty of other FX companies out there.

I probably liked HiFX for their rates or low/zero fees back along (a good 10 years ago), or maybe it was a recommendation from a friend, I don't remember. There's a chance I was doing XE a disservice and maybe there was a hiccup with the accounts getting moved across from HiFX. It all seems proper now I've got their app installed and feel like a proper signed-up XE user. They all seem much of a muchness tbh... do you have a need for GBP > EUR (or vice versa) and if so, do you have a favourite company?

 

[DaGaffer]

I probably liked HiFX for their rates or low/zero fees back along (a good 10 years ago), or maybe it was a recommendation from a friend, I don't remember. There's a chance I was doing XE a disservice and maybe there was a hiccup with the accounts getting moved across from HiFX. It all seems proper now I've got their app installed and feel like a proper signed-up XE user. They all seem much of a muchness tbh... do you have a need for GBP > EUR (or vice versa) and if so, do you have a favourite company?

I've cut almost all my ties to the UK now, but I do occasionally do transfers to my Mum and I use Transferwise. I first used them when we were transferring the money from the sale of our flats from the UK to Ireland and my bank was going to charge me thousands and they were about ten quid. TBH, most people I know use Revolut, who I can't recommend at all because I work for a bank!

 

[SilverHood]

I use Xoom (now owned by Paypal) when I need to move money from my US account to my UK account. Not using it much as I'm not visiting the UK anymore, but it was great when I had to do monthly payments to Student Loans company. My banks on both sides charged me a small fortune for wire transfers, Xoom charged me $5, and got my a better rate too!

 

[Embattle]

Being awake at 3:20 for no real reason at all

Snap, had that a couple of nights this week.

 

[MYstIC G]

Snap, had that a couple of nights this week.

It's really annoying because it just throws the whole day out because you try and re-adjust to put things back but there's no guarantee it makes any bloody difference

 

[dysfunction]

If you're having trouble getting back to sleep then get up and sit and read on the sofa for a bit. Then go back to bed.

Don't lay there for hours as it becomes a place to "be awake" subconsciously and you don't want that.

 

[caLLous]

Getting out of bed doesn't seem like a particularly brilliant way of going back to sleep...

 

[dysfunction]

Getting out of bed doesn't seem like a particularly brilliant way of going back to sleep...

it's more for if you wake up and are still awake like 20 minutes later.
Not to do if you have woken and then end up falling asleep again.

Improve Insomnia by Avoiding Time Spent Lying Awake in Bed at Night

Learn how insomnia can improve by avoiding time spent lying awake in bed at night. By observing stimulus control, you can train yourself to sleep.

www.verywellhealth.com

.

Putting sleep myths to bed: experts answer the questions that keep you awake at night

Does cheese give you nightmares, is insomnia bad for your health, and can you sleep too much? We put these and other questions to doctors and scientists who specialise in treating insomnia

www.theguardian.com

What are the best cures for insomnia?
GL If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed, get up, go to another room and do a calming activity, then go back to bed. If you are lying in bed unable to sleep, your brain will soon start associating lying in bed with being awake.

 

[Scouse]

Someone on a biking forum mentioned their insomnia. He said he didn't care about it - he just stayed in bed with his eyes closed relaxing. He figures that closed eyes, dark relaxation is better than getting up and doing stuff because you're still getting a quality rest.

 

[dysfunction]

Someone on a biking forum mentioned their insomnia. He said he didn't care about it - he just stayed in bed with his eyes closed relaxing. He figures that closed eyes, dark relaxation is better than getting up and doing stuff because you're still getting a quality rest.

you're not properly resting if your brain is awake.

 

[Raven]

Physically you are (obviously not as good as sleep) so at least you're doing something.

 

[Lamp]

Everytime someone says "I've given up meat."
In that smug I'm saving the planet way
Shut up. I don't care.

I had steak last night
I'm having pork sausages tonight

 

[Moriath]

Everytime someone says "I've given up meat."
In that smug I'm saving the planet way
Shut up. I don't care.

I had steak last night
I'm having pork sausages tonight

I had chateaubriand last night and it was yummy.

 

[Scouse]

Fucking Keir Starmer being a useless cunt.

 

[Raven]

When your Dutch counterpart classifies inanimate items as weapons and then wonders why they didn't clear customs without paper work...

 

[Scouse]

For any of you that work in IT - Adobe Flash gets demised today. As in stops working (not just becomes unsupported). So if you've anything that works off it, watch out


I had a reminder of this at 5am when I got called into a MEC to ensure we were keeping an eye on things globally

 

[Aoami]

For any of you that work in IT - Adobe Flash gets demised today. As in stops working (not just becomes unsupported). So if you've anything that works off it, watch out


I had a reminder of this at 5am when I got called into a MEC to ensure we were keeping an eye on things globally

As someone who spend a bit time as an action script dev, I'd say that this is far from an annoying thing!