@pluralistic How much Open Source lives in their tech stacks, unrecognized and uncompensated?

@pluralistic I asked FD if they supported it and they said they did not and that I would have to use an authenticator.

They shouldn’t have locked you out of the account and their security is shit. Bunch of dumbass jobsworths.

And to say it is not secure that alone worries me :/

#firstdirect #bank #banking #opensource #security #grapheneos

@pluralistic

Not into uk banks but fyi:

NFC payments:
The trick is to find a bank that is not using Google Pay/Google Wallet but have their own app for payments.
In Germany Volksbank, Sparkasse, PSD, Deutsche Bank

https://www.kuketz-blog.de/nfc-datenschutzfreundlich-bezahlen-mit-dem-android-phone/

Sorry for the DE link, but translate it in your browser

There is also an possibility called "Hardware Chip TAN". You can not activate this online, you have to go to your bank.

Disadvantage: secure, but one more device to carry around.

@pluralistic @gunstick the UK is arresting 93 year olds for terrorism. They’re beyond helping.

@pluralistic I'm using Starling Bank under GrapheneOS on my Pixel Fold and have zero issues

@pluralistic I'm using Starling Bank under GrapheneOS on my Pixel Fold and have zero issues

@pluralistic Sadly I don't have any, but I have the same problem with #bancodobrasil. The amount of cargo cult "security" in banking apps is absolutely insane.

@pluralistic FD app complained yesterday about my GrapheneOS Pixel 8a. I was able to bypass that problem by turning on Graphene’s “Exploit protection compatibility mode” - the app then loaded normally, as far as I can tell.

That may help us both limp along until we get better bank accounts set up.

@pluralistic have you tried clearing the app cache (not the data)? That just worked for me, pixel 8a, up to date grapheneOS. Also, as people have mentioned, Nationwide's app has worked correctly for about a year (and they're probably the least evil option of the major banks)

@pluralistic

Locked out of Account, sounds familiar, Ing locked me out telling me I must have a phone with android 13 and google services all allowed incl play protect.

I now have a Photo Tan Generator which allows me to use my account without directly enabling google to look over my shoulder.

Does your bank work with such a device.

@pluralistic I bet they have no problems with these phones though https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/low-cost-android-phones-ship-with.html?m=1 :D

@pluralistic I have Graphene OS, and a banking profile which includes First Direct. A while ago I got locked out of FD (I was at EMF Camp, and I think the European IP address spooked it), and couldn't unlock it due to "insecure operating system".

However, once back on my own network, I was able to uninstall and reinstall the FD app, and set it up from fresh and it worked. The only catch was that I had to use my old Android phone to generate a security code. But it has worked fine since then.

@pluralistic So I have used HSBC for a while with LineageOS and didn't have an issue, that being said I did not use a custom keyboard, just the one that Lineage provides ootb so I might not have run into the same issue. However, HSBC does also alow use of a secure key (a small device which generates log on codes for the website) which will obviate the need for an app at all assuming that that is possible with your situation. If you have a local HSBC branch you can ask about them there.

@pluralistic Have you considered not using a banking app? Most banks offer a web interface which works with standard browsers.

@pluralistic I still have a physical 2FA key fob thingy from FirstDirect. It works fine on their website. Dunno if they are issuing new ones.