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> Forgot to disable 2fa on that one account you log into once a year, before changing your phone number? have fun with that It's even worse because with offlin
by zimbatm 10y ago
> Forgot to disable 2fa on that one account you log into once a year, before changing your phone number? have fun with that
It's even worse because with offline 2fa. Just reinstalling the phone means loosing the secret keys. I know it's possible to back them up but nobody does that.
- scrollaway 10y ago> I know it's possible to back them up but nobody does that Yeah that is a problem and that's why I'm arguing a high quality TOTP client should be shipped out of the box with Android/iOS and be synced with the Google/Apple account by default. A lot of the friction and backup issues would disappear.
- roblabla 10y agobut if TOTP is sync'd on with your google account, and you reinstall your phone... How do you do the first android login after reinstall, when you lost the TOTP ? Chicken and egg problem inbound ^^.
- scrollaway 10y agoPermanent backup codes are a thing. You can generate those at any time. It's a UX problem, not a technical one.
- taeric 10y agoI'm intrigued. The problem: you want to secure your access codes. The solution you appear to be proposing: permanent backup of your security codes somewhere. But... how do you authenticate to this backup of your codes? It can't be through the same method that these codes unlock for you. Right?
- Spooky23 10y agoPrint them on paper and store them in a drawer in your house. That way it's legally protected more strongly and is immune to hacking.
- taeric 10y agoHave we really resorted to "hide it under your mattress" as the best we can do for security?
- Spooky23 10y agoFor last chance backup it's a great way to handle it. I have a waterproof, fire resistant chest that important papers live in. In the event of a disaster like a house fire, where my phone and tokens would likely be destroyed, it's a "Plan B" option. In the event of an accident or other event that results in my untimely demise, my wife or other loved ones can also access that chest and get backup credentials to access accounts with critical information. The other nice thing about the analog world is that the legal path is well worn and understood. An online, service-based resource could be shutdown at any time and custodial disputes are either impossible or driven by some arbitration process on the West coast (I live on the east coast). Accesses to physical goods is clearer, and disputes get resolved by a local judge.
- nickpsecurity 10y agoExcellent points. I'll add that physical safes and human-level protections have been standard in INFOSEC since Schell et al invented it as a formal field. All the early SCM for high-assurance systems was basically safes, locked rooms, and vetted people. Black programs (SAP's), like NIPSOM manual, also depend on such methods at some point. Cool thing is that there's less laws of physics trying to break your security model if you take transistors, wires, and wireless comms out of your implementation. Paper without a line of sight has excellent security properties against remote attackers. :) Note: Your point on the legal angle is wise and rarely made. I probably need to bring it up more often myself with these ridiculous rulings on privacy & data protection.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]