I’ve run a small business for over 10 yeas. I use linux. I’m grateful to the community and I use FOSS where possible.

I have had some issues over the years, but have always been able to get around them (except CAD in 2013), but recently I’ve had issues with my government (UK). First they introduced ‘making tax digital’ and told me for years that I would have to buy windows only software (there was no legal option on linux until a few weeks before the deadline (https://www.comsci.co.uk/100PcVatFreeBridge saved the day). The UK Government didn’t create a free solution or any route to that as they don’t want the source to be open for making tax digital so accounting software companies have made a killing!

This week my internet banking stopped allowing payments, it no longer works in firefox (I’m guessing). On the telephone they asked me ‘what search engine I was using’+ and advised to use google.

What is the best UK business bank to use if you use linux to run a small business? Do I have to use Chrom(e)ium? Does anyone else use linux for business admin? Is anyone (Freesoftware foundation, etc) thinking about the creeping legislative changes that make it literally illegal to use FOSS and linux?

I wanna be an ally, but its so tiring.

+ browser ≠ search engine. Yes, I’m pedantic, at least I didn’t confuse them by saying ‘quant’ or ‘duck duck go’, OK!?

  • Aggravationstation
    341·
    5 months ago

    I’m also based in the UK. I don’t run a business but have occasionally encountered problems trying to use Librewolf on the web, especially with Noscript on.

    I tried to use Qubes to separate my activities into VMs but I found it difficult. So I did my own, less extreme, approach using KVM.

    I created a virtual machine which only has Chrome on it. This is what I use for accessing my bank, Paypal and doing online shopping.

    I have a second machine I use for Whatsapp and email and finally a third with Librewolf for general web browsing.

    Each uses the same VPN service but different servers.

    I only use Freetube and Retroarch on my main machine.

    This is on a very beefy Thinkpad I essentially use as a desktop in my office. I use a smaller machine downstairs with VNC on it as a remote when I’m sat on my sofa.

        • SayCyberOnceMoreEnglish
          221·
          5 months ago

          It’s not just browsing discussed there. Re-read that again with cybersecurity in mind… online banking shouldn’t be done whilst you’re sharing a browser with tiktok (as an example)

          Yep, there’s private / incognito modes, but they just drop all the local session data, they’re not any more secure.

          • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            6·
            5 months ago

            online banking shouldn’t be done whilst you’re sharing a browser with tiktok (as an example)

            Why? Be specific because unless something has gone horribly wrong sites can’t access data from other sites or tabs unless they’re cooperating. In which case they do so with session data.

            And you could simply have a separate Firefox profile rather than spinning up an entire virtual machine.

            • xavier666@lemm.eeEnglish
              1·
              5 months ago

              And you could simply have a separate Firefox profile rather than spinning up an entire virtual machine.

              This is what I do. Even though there is nothing wrong with the Qubes approach, I think it’s overkill unless you are hiding from nation-state attackers.

              • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                1·
                5 months ago

                This does absolutely nothing to defend against XSS.

                This is the problem with paranoia-based security. You create needless overhead thinking you’re “more secure,” but you’re not. Not in any way that really matters, at least.

                • 0x0@programming.dev
                  1·
                  5 months ago

                  So if i spin up a container to run just that browser for just that site i do nothing against XSS? Interesting.

                  • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                    1·
                    5 months ago

                    I can’t tell if you’re being facetious or not…

                    XSS is an attack within a site. For example - if I were to embed JavaScript in this post, and your lemmy website didn’t properly sanitize it, then it would be executed by your browser. This would let me run code on lemmy with your credentials. I could then rewrite posts, delete your account, maybe send your data to another site where I could capture your session or credentials.

                    It has nothing to do with any other tabs and it would be limited to lemmy and the page that executed the script. I couldn’t have that script read data from your bank on another tab, for example.

          • cygnus@lemmy.ca
            5·
            5 months ago

            This is what Firefox containers are for. Put the predatory sites in a container so they can’t see out of it.

            • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              2·
              5 months ago

              They can’t “see out” of their own tab either. Websites can only access data in the browser that they create.

                • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                  11·
                  5 months ago

                  What? No. Just… No. My god - the misunderstanding around cookies is ridiculous. I blame the EU - they put a ‘warning label’ on them an now eveyone thinks they’re just evil.

                  Firstly - Cookies are only allowed to be read/written by the site you requested from. If they could read all cookies that would be a MASSIVE security problem and the internet would be fundamentally unusable for business.

                  Secondly - This has nothing to do with tabs. Nothing. … Nothing.

                  Thirdly - There are “third party” cookies which happen when a site coordinates with a third party for things like advertising and allows them to track hits when their ads are displayed. This requires both sites to cooperate. But also see “firstly” as it won’t allow that third party access to, say, your authentication information.

                  Lastly - This still has nothing to do with tabs.

                  • cygnus@lemmy.ca
                    2·
                    5 months ago

                    This requires both sites to cooperate. But also see “firstly” as it won’t allow that third party access to, say, your authentication information.

                    Nobody here said it would let them see your authentication details, so I’m not sure why you’re so vigorously fighting that straw man. Third-party cookies absolutely let them know which other sites you’ve visited. That’s their main purpose.

        • Aggravationstation
          3·
          5 months ago

          It’s not that much work. I created a VM which is running the same distro as the host. I removed all of the apps except for the terminal. Then I cloned it for each VM I need.

          The Whatsapp/ email client VM and the Librewolf VM start with my OS so it’s like having them in separate windows. The others I only start if needs be.

          • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            1·
            5 months ago

            It’s a lot of effort for the benefit you get, which is practically nothing. Especially considering there are even easier ways to get the same result

              • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                2·
                5 months ago

                Just use tabs they can’t access each other’s data. Or use a tab session manager. Or separate Firefox profiles.

                • Aggravationstation
                  1·
                  5 months ago

                  I don’t trust Chrome, Zoom or Teams, but sometimes have to use them. I will keep them in a separate VM but will look into Firefox profiles.

                  • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                    2·
                    5 months ago

                    So it’s just paranoia then… Which makes sense as it’s way over the top.

                    Heck, even just creating separate system accounts and doing ‘sudo -u social firefox’ would be easier than spinning and maintaining VMs…