RANT: Security gone crazy

[PinkyMacGodess]

I'm traveling, and can't use my iPhone at the risk of getting reamed royally, but I try anyway to get into my HotMail account.

It detects that I'm trying to login from a foreign country, and protectively wants me to to verify that it is I that is trying to access the account. Odd, but, okay, I give it my iCloud address, thinking that I should have no problems getting access as I've never had a problem before with my iCloud address, and being able to access it from odd places. So it sends the verification code off to my hotmail account, and I CAN'T GET INTO THAT ONE EITHER because iCloud protectively wants me to verify that I am me by sending a code to my unworkable iPhone.

ARG!!!

What the heck did I do to tick off the computer Gods this time?

It hardly makes it worth it to do the $60.00 data plan offered when I got here. That is $60 PLUS the cost of the data used. Seriously...

And neither of them offer any phone or online assistance either! One would think that I'm in the third level of hell by now!

Farking security!!!

This is just a rant. Had this been an actual post, well, hmm...

 

[BrianBaughn]

On my recent trip to the UK I put in a "Three" SIM, which basically stops me from receiving SMS or iMessages sent to my US number. That's a pain. Also, if it's your method of receiving security codes, for two-factor situations particularly, you could run into trouble like yours.

I was saved by having a Google Voice number as an option for receiving the codes. Get yourself a Google Voice number and add it to all of your accounts, two-factor or otherwise. You can use the Google Voice app to receive verification codes via SMS.

 

[iPhone1]

I recommend that travelers make sure they have access to their backup codes for scenarios like this.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I recommend that travelers make sure they have access to their backup codes for scenarios like this.

That's a good idea even if you don't have any travel plans at all.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I thought I had it covered. Never thought that hotmail would welch on me.

I've been in Sydney farking Australia and logged in to my hotmail account, and, thinking about it, Auckland New Zealand too, and Bermuda trips their 'This is a vicsious hacker trying to bust his way in to this account' trigger?

Given the total lack of security at border crossings, having 'THE SECRET CODE' in your possession at the time of 'the crossing' is not really a good idea. I had a company that 'dumbed down' corporate notebooks that crossed American borders in case the US Border Control hooked them up to their 'super sucker' program and grabbed all their corporate secrets to give to the 'Favorite Chinese Corporation Of The Week'.

 

[Erdbeertorte]

Are you still traveling and have this problem? Then if you are able to install Apps, you could try it with VPN, for example CyberGhost. The free account should be enough if you live in the USA.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Are you still traveling and have this problem? Then if you are able to install Apps, you could try it with VPN, for example CyberGhost. The free account should be enough if you live in the USA.

VPN to what? My home systems? Don't understand, sorry... Don't think installing apps would work because now 'the system' knows the account is 'under attack' by some 'nefarious scoundrel' in some bizarre country with all of the information that the owner had, except the ability to login.

I used to travel with my notebook and had no problems somehow, but haven't taken it in a long time, and never had a problem until this trip.

Got home and logged in with no problems on both accounts. No verification required, but had notes that 'attempts' were made on my accounts. *sigh* I don't travel as much as I used to, but it would be nice to get around this somehow to save the hassles...

Cheers!

 

[aristobrat]

I've never had a problem before with my iCloud address, and being able to access it from odd places. So it sends the verification code off to my iCloud account, and I CAN'T GET INTO THAT ONE EITHER because iCloud protectively wants me to verify that I am me by sending a code to my unworkable iPhone.

I'm not sure if the issue was that you couldn't use your iPhone to receive the text codes because you didn't want to pay for the overseas roaming, or you just couldn't use your iPhone at all (for security reasons).

If it's the roaming part, if you have your iPhone setup up as trusted device on your Apple Profile, and you have access to WiFi, you should be able to leave your iPhone in airplane mode (with WiFi turned on) and receive iCloud verification codes.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I'm not sure if the issue was that you couldn't use your iPhone to receive the text codes because you didn't want to pay for the overseas roaming, or you just couldn't use your iPhone at all (for security reasons).

If it's the roaming part, if you have your iPhone setup up as trusted device on your Apple Profile, and you have access to WiFi, you should be able to leave your iPhone in airplane mode (with WiFi turned on) and receive iCloud verification codes.

It was both security and roaming. My traveling partner couldn't get their iPhone to use the wifi at the place we were at, which was odd. They tried, and I tried, and even a 'staff member' tried, and none of us could get that iPhone on their wifi, so I figured that it wouldn't work with mine either and didn't try.

Their MacBook was working on the wifi, but as stated before, I couldn't get logged on... Maybe their wifi wasn't providing the right protocol for the iPhone... *shrug*

I've learned to live without my iDevices when traveling. Yeah, the first time felt like I was having DT's, but I got over it. Three weeks, and I wasn't in a ball on the floor mumbling gibberish...
[doublepost=1452020603,1452020475][/doublepost]

On my recent trip to the UK I put in a "Three" SIM, which basically stops me from receiving SMS or iMessages sent to my US number. That's a pain. Also, if it's your method of receiving security codes, for two-factor situations particularly, you could run into trouble like yours.

I was saved by having a Google Voice number as an option for receiving the codes. Get yourself a Google Voice number and add it to all of your accounts, two-factor or otherwise. You can use the Google Voice app to receive verification codes via SMS.

Hmm... That's an elegant solution. I heard Google was killing their voice service though?
[doublepost=1452020679][/doublepost]

That's a good idea even if you don't have any travel plans at all.

No kidding... Lose that and you really are toast. AND can't reuse that ID any longer either.

 

[Erdbeertorte]

VPN to what? My home systems? Don't understand, sorry...

VPN can be used to give you an IP address of any country or maybe even your home town. The App installs a profile for the location you choose and when you activate the VPN toggle, every website you visit and all apps/features of your computer or phone that connect to the internet think you are in that country.

This can also be useful for paranoid people who just want to be anonymous or some other things....

 

[BrianBaughn]

Hmm... That's an elegant solution. I heard Google was killing their voice service though?

I've heard it many times (speculation) but never from Google.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I've heard it many times (speculation) but never from Google.

So it's just the normal 'chatter'. Figures. I should have known...
[doublepost=1452042305][/doublepost]

VPN can be used to give you an IP address of any country or maybe even your home town. The App installs a profile for the location you choose and when you activate the VPN toggle, every website you visit and all apps/features of your computer or phone that connect to the internet think you are in that country.

This can also be useful for paranoid people who just want to be anonymous or some other things....

Just remember: Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you...

Kind of a self-reinforcing mind job... Or something...

But, for the record, you can't just pull an IP address out of the air.

I really actually had a client that did that. They just pulled an IP address out of their 'butt' that worked, and got an email (surprised it went through) from the IP address scheme owner asking them if they would please stop using their addresses. They were using it inside their network, and their leaky junk firewall was just passing the addresses through...

I told them it would lead to trouble, but I'm the 'Macintosh Guy' and 'didn't know my butt from the knot hole in the tree outside'. Yeah. Whatever...

 

[Erdbeertorte]

Just remember: Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you...

Paranoia was just a harmless example. I think it's used mostly for other stuff...


They have their own Servers in each country and don't steal other people's IP address:

http://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_us/server

 

[Tech198]

This is just a rant. Had this been an actual post, well, hmm...

i'm glad it wasn't the actual post.. otherwise we'd all be running for the hills.

If its an unworkable phone, isn't that actually your problem, not Apple's ? since u were the one who set up 2 factor and u couldn't access your phone... That is not Apple's fault, they offer the means to be more secure, and by the way "give u recovery options*.. You did set up up security questions u can answer, didn't you?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

i'm glad it wasn't the actual post.. otherwise we'd all be running for the hills.

If its an unworkable phone, isn't that actually your problem, not Apple's ? since u were the one who set up 2 factor and u couldn't access your phone... That is not Apple's fault, they offer the means to be more secure, and by the way "give u recovery options*.. You did set up up security questions u can answer, didn't you?

It was my primary iPhone. I did setup 2fa, but it wasn't asking for the 2fa code. I was caught in a 'perfect wedge' where one device needed me to access a second site that I couldn't access because of the cost of accessing that service through the device I was trying to access the email through. (Hope that made sense)

I did chuckle about this, after the anger level subsided. A dark and stormy helped, and the SUN, the OH MY GOD IT'S SUNNY HERE weather they were having at the time. Funny how Sun and alcohol can make one forget about the mundane life...

I did hear about one person visiting the same place, and using their iPhone for a 'brief moment', and getting a bill that was somewhere rather tragically north of $100... YIKES!!!

But I survived...