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Originally Posted by midgetman
Regarding computer passwords, the best idea I've ever heard is to just use a complete jumble of letters and numbers that no one has any chance of hacking or remembering then simply use the "forgot password" link next time you log on.
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I would agree but sometimes I just don't want to wait and mess around with email or whatever in the middle of something else.
I also have multiple email accounts and that means one has to recall which account one used for that site, etc.
A case in point. I've changed the email address for my account for the supplier of the photo editing software I have been using for some years. No problem, works fine now, better than it did with the old email address.
However, the other day I thought to check my historical orders for upgrades as offered from a link within the account details.
Orders are processed by a third-party provider. So, to my surprise, this time it seemed I was not already connected to the order system and I needed to click on a link to start a reset process by entering the email address to which some code should be sent. So enter the address to use (the same as my "account") and ... nothing arrived. I've tried it on 3 separate occasions now. Still nothing. It's a good job its not urgent. Not even important, thankfully.
Quote:
Originally Posted by midgetman
Oh that's another bug bear for me. Websites that don't tell you the combination of letters and symbols you need in advance, nor do they let you see what you've typed. And then won't let you use the incredible password you've just devised because it's too similar to one you used five years ago.....grrrrrr.....
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That is indeed annoying but, these days, the reuse of similar passwords does not seem to be as heavily policed as once was the case - at least not for the stuff I used and still use.
An outfit I worked with for several years in a consultancy role had very lax password controls in that they never enforced changes. At some point, they decided they should do so. Given they were a leading supplier of backbone carrier network comms systems at the time - right at the heart of the newfangled internet thingy - it seemed a wise decision.
So they told users that new passwords were required, what the expected length and security level should be, and that they would need to change them every month. All very wise. Except that few people, outside the same admin work team or their IT support people, knew each others' passwords since, in general, there was no need to know.
On the day the rule was implemented every terminal in the offices suddenly acquired a yellow post-it note with the new username and the first chosen password for that person (pre-hotdesking days for most of them) and so now everyone had access to anyone's password. Comments about the lack of intended security were made and ignored by most and life continued.
Not really so bad until one considers that there was a steady flow of people arriving and leaving their job roles and quite a number of jobs were covered by agency staff.