What's with the Paranoia?

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

[...] It's the extreme privacy advocates (never buy ebooks, never use the services of any big bad companies etc) that really irk me. Especially if they tell others to do the same.

Yes, that sort of thing irks me too - from either direction. But some of the reaction you've seen on this thread might be due to the subject line with its accusation of "Paranoia". For me this stuff has slowly evolved into a habit rather than any sense of paranoia. My question now is always "Why do they need it?" rather than "Why not provide it?", and my default position is always minimal sharing.

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

If you're referring to the stunt LastPass pulled earlier this year, I suggest looking into Bitwarden.

I wasn't thinking of a particular product, only that these products are still evolving and getting something that you both trust and that works well on all the devices you have has not been straightforward. Let's face it, deciding to put all your security eggs into a single basket like this is a pretty big decision.

Open source is nice but not a huge comfort unless you have the skill and experience to review a security product - so most of us are putting our faith in all the other people we assume are looking at it. And 2FA is great when you're using your phone as a token for your desktop, but when your phone is being used for both parts of the transaction that increases the burden of trust.

As it stands, there are things I put in my chosen password manager (KeePassXC and KeePassDX) and a few things I do not. So there are still a lot of eggs in there, but not all of them.

[Sirtel]

I don't use a password manager or a browser, but the old analog method - writing them down on paper. The paper stays at home, of course, and not on a table for every visitor to see. I remember the ones I use most often, like Google, Amazon, Paypal, Microsoft.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by John F

https://www.zeebiz.com/technology/ap...-online-149354

But hey, it was early 2021, so it's old news.

It's not a new breach, but a compilation of several old ones.

[Apache]

I have seen store managers write down the combination the the store safe and keep it in their desk.
Apache

[hildea]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

It's the extreme privacy advocates (never buy ebooks, never use the services of any big bad companies etc) that really irk me. Especially if they tell others to do the same.

Extreme privacy advocates who expects others to behave as them do sound annoying. Fortunately I've never come across any of those.

I recently found this article: International coalition calls for action against surveillance-based advertising. Data from ebook readers is, of course, a minor contribution to this kind of surveillance, but it's a part of a greater, problematic pattern.

[crane3]

Originally Posted by hildea

Extreme privacy advocates who expects others to behave as them do sound annoying. Fortunately I've never come across any of those.

.

I find the privacy advocates get pissed when encountering another extreme privacy person when that person cannot get the person on the phone! e.g person B will not receive calls from person A because of implementation of killing anonymous phone calls. Or cannot find person B's addr because non-published phone number.

Of course, person A does not like not being rejected because person B is also an extreme privacy advocate.

I loved the rejection of annonymous phone calls when I was "on call"; the company set their caller-id to annoymous because of concerns on privacy by the doctors. Never had to answer the phone at night or go troubleshoot; lasted a long time until I got a new manager who told the telecommunications people who were very stupid as the phone number displayed were being 'spuffed'/faked.

[hobnail]

People freak out over that microchip that's in the covid vaccine. But I like having that chip in me; when I get Alzheimers and senile dementia and start wandering all over creation I like knowing they'll be able to use that chip to find me. Hopefully there will be enough 5g towers around for it to work.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I use PayPal where possible. And bank transfer in local stores. But where it's not possible to use other methods, I do leave my card number. Moreover, I use several subscription services. Netflix, Dropbox, Prime Video, Adobe Photoshop, Google Drive 100 GB (for Gmail) and more. Not all of them have PayPal as a payment option, so I have to keep my card info there.

Back before we had the EMV thing with the chip in the card my credit card used to get compromised about once a year because I use it for everything since I get points back I can use with amazon. One time it was for stuff at Lowe's on the other side of the continent; $600 or so, another time for over $3,000 of computer stuff from IBM (before IBM sold their laptop business to Lenovo), other times for little stuff.

What I like about credit cards is that the risk is all on the card companies; maybe it's because California has strong consumer protection laws but whenever I get a bogus charge, if they don't catch it I call them and tell them and they cancel that card and send me a new one, and remove the bogus charge. If you tell them that you're going on a trip and need the replacement card right away they'll even send it express.

I don't know if the laws are better now but I had a coworker who had his checking account drained when his debit card was compromised and he had to battle with the bank to get them to refund his money. So as long as you pay off your credit card in full each month it's as good as a debit card and possibly safer for you.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Malware has nothing to do with privacy. You can be a total paranoid and still get malware. Unless you don't use the internet at all.

because I really don't know anyone here who has had their identity or credit card number stolen, or otherwise suffered from an egregious privacy violation

Having to change everything including bank account # and my bank credit/debit card fits your own words I do believe. And if Malware has nothing to do with privacy then I guess all the data that internet thieves steal (usually credit card info but also some other data) wouldn't be an invasion of privacy either under your definition. Those who have their lives upended by such theft might beg to disagree with you though.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by crich70

Having to change everything including bank account # and my bank credit/debit card fits your own words I do believe. And if Malware has nothing to do with privacy then I guess all the data that internet thieves steal (usually credit card info but also some other data) wouldn't be an invasion of privacy either under your definition. Those who have their lives upended by such theft might beg to disagree with you though.

Malware has nothing to do with privacy in the sense that you can be as private as you can and still get it. Even if you don't use any card online at all, or even have a bank account. Yes, in your case the malware was used to steal your card info. But even if you had had no personal data anywhere online, you'd still have gotten that keylogger on your computer.

Malware can be used to violate your privacy, of course, but they're not the same. There was malware before there was online banking or online business at all.

Edit: I apologize if you got the impression that I was insensitive to your troubles. My intention was not to belittle them. I may not have had my card info stolen online, but I have physically lost all my bank cards and documents at once, and also had to replace them all. So I'm well aware how awful the experience is.

[theducks]

There is a BIG difference between Paranoia and Being Careful.

My CC has been violated TWICE since I have been using it online.
IN 40 YEARS. (this is not a case where there were just issues with a merchant purchase)

The first time, the Bank caught it (3 attempts, decline $ amounts (I guess they thought I had poor credit with a lower limit), from the East Coast).
The other time, they bought Concert tickets (also in the East), I caught that.
Note: Debit cars do not have the same protection BY LAW, as CC's do. My ATM card does not have a CC Logo and only works with the PIN for that reason.

Back when they only used Knuckle Busters at FULL service gas stations, The attendant presented the clip board for my sig. I was in the habit of pulling my copy and discovered a second slip underneath. He claimed "oops, must have stuck" . Not so, I have used those machines and the impression slide will not cross without major force (and will flatten the raised numbers).

And Yes, folk share way too much info on Social Media.

[JSWolf]

My bank card once was cancelled by the bank because a site I used it at was hacked. They caught it, called me to tell me and I received a replacement card in two days. I think that was very good service.

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Not a single breach has caused me any problems except maybe more spam.

...

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My bank card once was cancelled by the bank because a site I used it at was hacked. They caught it, called me to tell me and I received a replacement card in two days. I think that was very good service.