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Comment by poulpy123 | Hacker News Reader

Afaik there is an android compatibility layer but I don't know if it allows banking apps to works

It would not in principle, those rely on hardware backed keys with Google's latest iteration of Google Play Integrity. The only success people have had is by using leaked vendor keys and spoofing device fingerprints for old A11-era devices which did not have the hardware baked in. In time even this avenue will no longer work. People have been trying to get around it for a while [1] but afaik the concept is cryptographically airtight.

[1] https://xdaforums.com/t/discussion-the-root-and-mod-hiding-f...

My banking app works fine on a rooted phone that I don't bother faking a proper Play Integrity signature for. Except for a warning about the phone being rooted when setting it up, of course. I'm not 100% sure what happens when you have integrity and lose it by rooting your phone, but I imagine the bank app will log you out.

Bank apps only stop working because banks decided they know better than you.

Unfortunately my bank also switched to Google Pay which does require Play Integrity, so contactless payments are out of the question on that phone now. Maybe if Wero compatible terminals extend support for QR payments I could use my bank app again on that phone.

Maybe I'm out of the loop but what is everyone doing with banking apps on their phones that's so essential. I see this argument all the time but it's baffling to me.

For quite many banks a mobile phone is now the only 2FA they support.

Or worse.

My bank closed down their old online banking site and the new one needs the phone for 2FA... but ... drumroll ...

... the idiots also want me to keep using the token device to log in before approving the log in via my phone.

Security theater.

So switch the bank? Worked for me.

I'm doing the research ofc. Have other things to look for besides not being dependent on a phone so it will take a bit.

So glad my brokerage supports good old totp.

Paying for things? Transferring money? What else do you do with a bank account?

If we were rational creatures we might choose to do such things while seated at home in front of a comfortably sized screen, rather than squinting at a pocket gadget on a street corner.

That doesn't sound very rational to me. Modern banking apps require no squinting, and they're conveniently in your pocket when you need them.

IMO the word "need" is doing all the work here. I have a fairly complex financial situation and yet - with a bit of intentionality and organisation - I get by fine without any banking apps installed on mobile.

There isn't a hard line between "need" and "want". It isn't irrational to want more than "get by fine".

MFA largely, some banks also provide wallets for contactless payments.

I refuse to have my browser fingerprinted as a "trusted device" because part my bank is just bad at it.

I have several hockey leagues and pick up sessions that only take payment via Venmo; prior to league or the session starting. Makes it way easier than going around to everybody in the locker room trying to round up cash.

I also use it for a few vendors for some small payments I make every month for my studio.

I don't use them a lot and I know some people that use them for 90-95% of the stuff they do which is crazy to me like yourself. I try and limit my use of the apps to as little as possible. Whatever works for people I guess.

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