#SickofPasswords

[Naughty Nigel]

Some may be sick of politics but I am utterly sick of passwords.

Is there anything we can do these days without needing a password?

Banks, the Gas Board, Electricity Board, BT and every other provider implores us to 'go paperless'. They then send an email telling us that our latest bill is ready to download - which means logging in, remembering the correct password, the first two letters of your mother's maiden name, date of birth, pets name and various other information.

Why can't they just email the gas bill to me?

And why does BT insist on me having two separate accounts to log into, with their own usernames and passwords?

And surely, having customers trying every user name and password combination they can remember to access a service is just as big a security risk as leaving the wretched thing open?

I recently signed up to some new service, and the first question it asked was "what was the make of your first car". MG I replied. It refused to accept that as it was only two letters, so I entered Honda, which was my first motorbike. "Too short" it said, so I entered MG_Magnette. Too long it said.

Is it any wonder that so many people only have one password?

Surely there must be an easier way?

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: #SickofPasswords

One school I work in is "cashless" so the kids place their finger on a reader to get their daily dose of fat-n-sugar...

Adults have to be "looked up" and put in a PIN No.

What's wrong with interactive image recognition, voice recognition, retinal scan, etc..

As we get older, remembering all these "access arrangements" just makes life that little more difficult. I expect it's a ploy to get more of us to jump off a cliff so as to make savings and free up space...

(Oh crap! - I've gone political )

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I have a fingerprint reader on my laptop, but I turned it off because it only worked if my hands were completely dry, and not within half an hour of having a shower or doing the dishes (which I do all the time of course).

I had a problem accessing my voicemail when I travelled abroad recently, as for some reason O2 reckoned I was entering the wrong PIN no. I phoned them, but they said that for security reasons they couldn't re-set it until I returned to the UK. Great!

[Wally]

Re: #SickofPasswords

It was a real struggle to begin with. But perseverance paid off... One phone call is all that is needed... GCHQ.

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: #SickofPasswords

It was a real struggle to begin with. But perseverance paid off... One phone call is all that is needed... GCHQ.

But there is a very real weakness in the current system, which is entirely one-sided.

If I phone my bank I have to provide all sorts of personal and security information before they will even speak to me. Usually this is a combination of passwords, my date of birth, my mother's maiden name, my account number and a recent transaction on my account.

This I understand, but when I receive a call from the bank they cannot identify themselves. I recently received a call from Barclays concerning my business account. I asked the caller to identify herself but she couldn't. All she could say was that she was "from Barclays".

She asked me for my DOB 'for security reasons' which I gave her, and my account number and sort code; but when she asked for my mother's maiden name I asked her to give me a recent transaction from my account. She said she wasn't allowed to do that because of "data protection".

I politely hung up, (she was only trying to flog me a loan or something), but a relative, working in a busy accounts department received a call one Friday afternoon purporting to be from the bank's internet banking department asking for similar information, and took well over £ one million from their account!

To make matters worse, the bank was able to trace where the money went, but refused to give the Fraud Squad information about the account holder (on the grounds of, you've guessed it - data protection) until a warrant had been issued; by which time it was far too late.

It later transpired that the same criminal gang raided the accounts of more than a dozen businesses on the same day; all from the same bank.

But with a system like that how do you know who is genuine and who is a scammer?

[sapper]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I use a password 'safe', iPassword. I only have to remember one password. I don't mind the banks needing a password, but fail to see why online stores need one when all I want to do is give them my money.

[Guest]

Re: #SickofPasswords

Nigel - The whole Password thing is a mindless but necessary evil ... but wherever possible retaliate as you did with Barclays.

+ Edit: Dunno about UK utilities but here I refuse to conduct business with them by phone or online. I insist that they send me a paper bill which I pay at the PO by B-pay.

+ Edit 2: Perhaps when you receive a call from a utility or any other corporate entity, reverse the frustration and ask them for their password before you can accept their call. When they ask, "what password?", tell them they must apply to you in writing for a form they must complete to be assigned one.

Insane, eh?

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I use a password 'safe', iPassword. I only have to remember one password. I don't mind the banks needing a password, but fail to see why online stores need one when all I want to do is give them my money.

I suspect it's so they can spam us with junk email Dave.

What worries me more is that if I search for something online I get bombarded with emails from Amazon offering just what they thought I was looking for.

I know they use cookies to do this, but still.

Oh, and if you want to search for more than ten postcodes in a day Royal Mail expect you to sign up, and they demand high security passwords which are a right PITA.

(It's easier just to use a second computer.)

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: #SickofPasswords

+ Edit 2: Perhaps when you receive a call from a utility or any other corporate entity, reverse the frustration and ask them for their password before you can accept their call. When they ask, "what password?", tell them they must apply to you in writing for a form they must complete to be assigned one.

Insane, eh?

I like it!

When I receive a call from utility company I say (in a recorded tone of voice), "for sales press one, for service press two, for accounts press three, or for anything else press four".

In the event that they persist (only one ever has) I just say "we are experiencing very high call volumes, please hold to speak to an agent."

[Guest]

Re: #SickofPasswords

Excellent strategy Love it

[Homer Simpson]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I tend to use reasonably secure passwords but just write them on a bit thick card and generally leave it lying on the computer. If I go away I might put it between a couple of books
Sure a burglar could have a field day but its more likely going to be someone in china or Russia guessing the obvious simple ones

[Guest]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I created a third non personal email account which I give to online entities if I need to, thus all their email ends up there to be reviewed and deleted once a month!

[OlyPaul]

Re: #SickofPasswords

Nigel do not mention Barclays, I just binned them for another Bank, three times I have had my debit card blocked (plenty of funds), twice I have been locked out of my online banking (wrong passwords ..yeah right they never have glitches on there site) in 3 months.

But the worst part is they will not deal with it at the bank and you have to telephone and invariably you end up with a Indian call centre a crackly line and a thick indian accent to deal with. And the ironic question when you have a paperless account is what were your last three purchases ..yeah I'm locked out of my online banking and my memory is not always that good.

Now I have friendly bank staff with a good attitude that will help or at the least a English call centre if I do not want to go the two miles to the bank.

[angelpaaul]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I created a third non personal email account which I give to online entities if I need to, thus all their email ends up there to be reviewed and deleted once a month!

That's exactly what I do. Like you, I check the account every couple of weeks or so, then delete the junk.

[Wally]

Re: #SickofPasswords

I have an 'ye olde mobile phone' which I never use for phone calls. No dosh = no tosh. In the address thingy, I put down the online entity with the current password for each. Yes, it's a hassle, but at least when I suffer a senior moment I just remove it from its hidey hole.

When I'm away, and if needs must, I use a tablet and carry a mini SD card with the back-up info. I also inform the bank of my travel dates and locations and the exact amount I will withdraw in local currency on any occasion.What I have left over gets used up next time around.

As for emails, I have one each for family and friends - with instructions not to forward the usual bimbo must see crap - otherwise it gets acquainted with Dusty Bin, and one for A N Other.

The biggest annoyance I have come across, is when the other end don't allow 'special characters' but still insist on the password being secure?