5 ms·

Something like this DID happen to me a few years ago... but really? If i don't regard the lost documents (ID, drivers license, ownership documents...) took me a

Something like this DID happen to me a few years ago... but really? If i don't regard the lost documents (ID, drivers license, ownership documents...) took me a few months to get newly issued and there is still a gmail and amazon account out there i will perhaps never be able to log in again there was really no big problem. This is also the incident that convinced me to NEVER leave my current bank: I am at a tiny, tiny local bank with perhaps 50 employees... so, they did know me and it was no problem to get money and a new set of cards. The funny thing is: Before that incident i was contemplating about moving to a more modern bank which offers an app...

the_af 4y ago
> i will perhaps never be able to log in again there was really no big problem. If you use Google as your identity provider and Gmail as your recovery (or registration) email for every online service you use, it's a big problem. Remember: you don't remember all those passwords (if you do, they are probably weak) so you need the recovery email. But you cannot access your email, because you lost both your phone and 2FA to log in elsewhere. So it's not just Gmail, it's every online thing you use. But maybe you don't use Google and Gmail like this. Maybe you have a separate username/password for every single online thing. Ok... what were those passwords again?
- RalfWausE 4y ago
  In some instances i could remember the password in others... now, i just created a new account if i did think i would need the service. Overall, even if i did not gain ANY of this accounts back it wouldnt really harm my life. I would have to recreate some stuff from memory, find some other providers, all things considered it would have been more of an inconvenience than a real problem.
  - the_af 4y ago
    Some of these accounts may be services you sank real money into. Say, Steam or iTunes or whatnot. Or maybe you've built a reputation out of these accounts. Maybe you lost access to a blog or some other thing where you wrote or stored important stuff that matters to you. If your stance is "hey, it doesn't matter if I lose all access to my online life" then yes, I can see why this wouldn't be a problem for you. This article wasn't meant for you then, but for the rest of us.
    - RalfWausE 4y ago
      The morale of the story from my perspective is: Dont rely on online services. Anyone should remember: A cloud is nothing else than vapour...
      - the_af 4y ago
        Agreed, but making your own redundant backups is difficult and with plenty of pitfalls. Do you keep your backup at home? It would be destroyed in the fire. Do you sync to some offsite which isn't the cloud? Who maintains it? How often do you do test your backups?
        RalfWausE 4y ago
        I make a daily backup on 2 ancrypted usb harddrives, in the morning when i go to work i take the nightly created backup with me and leave it at work and take the second drive that is at my workplace back home in the evening. Its not perfect, but secure enough for me.
- ClumsyPilot 4y ago
  Stop using GMail, use a real company with real customer support. Even the cheapest, randomest local email provider from fasthosts to namecheap have people that will talk to yoy and fix problems. Microsoft outlook has real support too.
  - the_af 4y ago
    I don't understand this answer. Let's say you are using Microsoft as your identity provider (can this be done? never seen it) and Outlook as your recovery email. How does this help in this scenario: - You lost your phone and laptop. - You lost your 2FA device. - You lost your recovery codes. - You lost any way of demonstrating you are who you say you are. How is Microsoft Outlook going to help you? Are you going to call a Microsoft support person over somebody else's phone and tell them to please help you? I don't think the problem is Google in this scenario (I've no love of them, mind you). Asking people to stop using Google and Gmail strikes me as unrealistic as asking them to stop using Facebook.
    - ClumsyPilot 4y ago
      I am talking spesifically about email - with namecheap you can literally show them your ID document, they have your phone number on file and they can call you. They have to help you access the service you paid for, otherwise you have grounds for a lawsuit. I have not tried this with microsoft, but ai imagine it should be similar. There is nothing special about Gmail, why do you have to use it? I had this warning 14 years ago when a friend's gmail was stolen and their support (back when they had it) refused to lift a finger despite him selding a scan of his ID, etc. I am never using free service for something vital again.
      - the_af 4y ago
        > There is nothing special about Gmail, why do you have to use it? I'm terrified of Google's support, but: - It's free. - I've been using Gmail for over a decade. Why would I switch? I've tons of data in there, and most people I care about know this is my email. > they have your phone number on file and they can call you Do you mean the phone I just lost in the fire? (in this scenario)
wintermutestwin 4y ago
>Before that incident i was contemplating about moving to a more modern bank which offers an app... I use two tiny credit unions and each of them offers an app.

the_af 4y ago

> i will perhaps never be able to log in again there was really no big problem. If you use Google as your identity provider and Gmail as your recovery (or registration) email for every online service you use, it's a big problem. Remember: you don't remember all those passwords (if you do, they are probably weak) so you need the recovery email. But you cannot access your email, because you lost both your phone and 2FA to log in elsewhere. So it's not just Gmail, it's every online thing you use. But maybe you don't use Google and Gmail like this. Maybe you have a separate username/password for every single online thing. Ok... what were those passwords again?

RalfWausE 4y ago
In some instances i could remember the password in others... now, i just created a new account if i did think i would need the service. Overall, even if i did not gain ANY of this accounts back it wouldnt really harm my life. I would have to recreate some stuff from memory, find some other providers, all things considered it would have been more of an inconvenience than a real problem.
- the_af 4y ago
  Some of these accounts may be services you sank real money into. Say, Steam or iTunes or whatnot. Or maybe you've built a reputation out of these accounts. Maybe you lost access to a blog or some other thing where you wrote or stored important stuff that matters to you. If your stance is "hey, it doesn't matter if I lose all access to my online life" then yes, I can see why this wouldn't be a problem for you. This article wasn't meant for you then, but for the rest of us.
  - RalfWausE 4y ago
    The morale of the story from my perspective is: Dont rely on online services. Anyone should remember: A cloud is nothing else than vapour...
    - the_af 4y ago
      Agreed, but making your own redundant backups is difficult and with plenty of pitfalls. Do you keep your backup at home? It would be destroyed in the fire. Do you sync to some offsite which isn't the cloud? Who maintains it? How often do you do test your backups?
      - RalfWausE 4y ago
        I make a daily backup on 2 ancrypted usb harddrives, in the morning when i go to work i take the nightly created backup with me and leave it at work and take the second drive that is at my workplace back home in the evening. Its not perfect, but secure enough for me.
ClumsyPilot 4y ago
Stop using GMail, use a real company with real customer support. Even the cheapest, randomest local email provider from fasthosts to namecheap have people that will talk to yoy and fix problems. Microsoft outlook has real support too.
- the_af 4y ago
  I don't understand this answer. Let's say you are using Microsoft as your identity provider (can this be done? never seen it) and Outlook as your recovery email. How does this help in this scenario: - You lost your phone and laptop. - You lost your 2FA device. - You lost your recovery codes. - You lost any way of demonstrating you are who you say you are. How is Microsoft Outlook going to help you? Are you going to call a Microsoft support person over somebody else's phone and tell them to please help you? I don't think the problem is Google in this scenario (I've no love of them, mind you). Asking people to stop using Google and Gmail strikes me as unrealistic as asking them to stop using Facebook.
  - ClumsyPilot 4y ago
    I am talking spesifically about email - with namecheap you can literally show them your ID document, they have your phone number on file and they can call you. They have to help you access the service you paid for, otherwise you have grounds for a lawsuit. I have not tried this with microsoft, but ai imagine it should be similar. There is nothing special about Gmail, why do you have to use it? I had this warning 14 years ago when a friend's gmail was stolen and their support (back when they had it) refused to lift a finger despite him selding a scan of his ID, etc. I am never using free service for something vital again.
    - the_af 4y ago
      > There is nothing special about Gmail, why do you have to use it? I'm terrified of Google's support, but: - It's free. - I've been using Gmail for over a decade. Why would I switch? I've tons of data in there, and most people I care about know this is my email. > they have your phone number on file and they can call you Do you mean the phone I just lost in the fire? (in this scenario)

wintermutestwin 4y ago

>Before that incident i was contemplating about moving to a more modern bank which offers an app... I use two tiny credit unions and each of them offers an app.