Month: November 2020

I’ve been thinking about approaches to technical issues recently – large issues rather than small ‘my laptop is broken’ type ones, and it’s got me thinking about people’s approaches to complex problems. There seems to be two types (I’m sure there’s many more, but I’m going with two for this).

1. Keen to work a way to a solution.

2. Nope. Too hard. Risk. Nope.

The former one – people like that I enjoy working with. Working out the correct way to address problems and actually getting things done is a skill in itself. One I’ve spent a lot of focus on personally, as I think it’s one of those things that separates techs. It’s not just about the technology, it’s about getting a business requirement done. Knowing the correct balance between perfect/not done, and done but not perfect…..well, it’s a skill.

What about the second type? Well, I find these groups incredibly difficult to work with – but it always ends up the same way. Let’s consider what I’m talking about with an example:

We have three blocks, numbered 1, 2 and 3. The requirement is at least ONE of those blocks has to be in that box over there. Let’s look at how this goes:

-> OK – let’s put block 1 in the box!

—> NOPE! I need that, I like its colour.

-> OK – 2?

—> NOPE! Thursday.

-> 3?

—> We couldn’t POSSIBLY do that.

So we have a defined requirement, and yet that requirement you have made impossible. What tends to happen is this goes around and around for a bit until somebody gets thrown off the roundabout in frustration. Typically, it then gets escalated to somebody who has some say in stuff.

• BOSS: Right, we’re putting block 1 in the box. There are some issues to fix and some pain, but it’s less pain than not having the stuff in the box.
• Everyone: OK, let’s do that.

Tech – Facepalm

The thing is with this approach is it damages relationships as it’s so exhausting. It’s why I much prefer working with your Type 1s. They work through things, they get stuff done. Type 2s? They just end up being told they’re wrong. Pretty much whatever they do, they’re going to be wrong. How people work like that is beyond me, it must be utterly ruinous.

I’ve seen of a couple of instances of phone number hijacking again recently – typically WhatsApp – but you can also see it with services like Skype (Consumer) and the like. What am I talking about?

Well, let’s consider Skype (Consumer). When I make a call from my Skype client it actually appears on the remote end as to be from my mobile. When I set this up, I have to enter my mobile no. I then get a code on my mobile which I have to enter to show that I own that number. When I do, I can then make calls with an outgoing number of my mobile.

Spotted the hack yet? Get that code, and you can make phone calls appearing from my mobile.

Imagine you’re selling something and the buyer is reasonably wary. Conversation goes like this:

Buyer: I want to make sure you are who you say you are. I’m going to text you a code and if you can tell me what code is we can continue.

Innocent: Sure! 

Innocent: Gets code, sends it to buyer.

*BOOM* buyer now can make phone calls appearing to be from your mobile.

It’s a similar hack with WhatsApp. Just replace being able to make calls to owning your WhatsApp account.

Be very wary of telling people these codes. Make sure you trust the service asking for a start. Here’s a real example: