Bitcoinistan Problems Shook Me Up! Buying Pt...

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DoChenRollingBearing

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blockchain.info (one of the major players in BTC) has been having problems over the past day or so.

Just when I wanted to try out "2 Factor Authentication" (where in addition to a password, you receive a short message on your "device" as kind of a second password). 2FA makes a wallet more secure, so having heard about some bad stories, I wanted to beef up my BTC security.

So I created two new wallets at blockchain.info, one with Google's Authenticator and the other using text/SMS messages (uh, I know no next to nothing about SMS, so don't ask...).

Both wallets gave me problems logging in today (blockchain.info is making changes in their programming, the Bearing is minor collateral damage...).

But, here are today's results for anyone interested:

1) In a fit of paranoia, I bought some Platinum. Once it arrives (or not) I will review the Seller. I still like BTC as a diversification asset, but my problems in using the wallets lit a fire under me to cash some BTC in.

2) I took Google's tool off my wallet (via a submitted form). Now that wallet works OK. They even have a nice cool feature: at "Settings" you can set-up a second password, used for sending BTC only, the cool thing is that you enter this password via a virtual screen (clicking letter-by-letter), this makes it harder for a keystroke logging program to monitor you...

3) I tried to get in to my other wallet, the 2FA is by SMS/message. It worked OK, but I can only use a few per day (uh, again, don't ask...). I may just use THIS wallet as a "savings account". But, it works, for now anyway. Note that blockchain.info says that SMS does not work well in some foreign (non-USA) countries. Next time I go to Peru, I'll try it out.

* * *

Bottom line is that I now have at least rudimentary 2FA on those two wallets, and I bought some platinum. I do hope that it arrives OK.
 
So is it blockchain.info that is having the issue, or some 3rd party? It's not clear from from your description. I haven't been keeping up with the latest on bitcoin, so I don't know anything about the Google Authenticator, but it really doesn't seem like having Google be a 3rd party to your bitcoin transactions is a great idea if you value privacy. Google has the tools to figure out who you are - especially if you are using an Android phone (or tablet) linked to a Google account.
 
I reckon I would rather go diving in a cold lake than have to jump through all those hoops that you have cheerfully created for your 'peace of mind' Bearing ........
 
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