nanog mailing list archives

Re: gmail security is a joke


From: Peter Beckman <beckman () angryox com>
Date: Fri, 29 May 2015 10:35:17 -0400

I use completely random strings for security questions. The company doesn't
care what my answer is, so instead of knowing that my favorite sports team
is [REDACTED] they can see that it is "WheF7?ydk/cBG8MgZf7w"

Go WheF7?ydk/cBG8MgZf7w!

I store all of the security questions in my password manager (1Password),
and though annoying if prompted for them often, my account is more secure
as a result. It's also a lot of fun when you call in and they ask you the
answer to your security question.

Just because someone asks you a question it does not require you to give an
answer they expect. (Or any answer)

Beckman

On Fri, 29 May 2015, Joe Abley wrote:

On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 03:13:37PM -0400, William Herrin wrote:

My first dog's name was a random and unpronounceable 30-character string.

That's what I should do. Instead, I pull down the list of candidate questions and think to myself...

- I didn't go to a high school
- I don't understand this other high school reference
- I don't watch sports
- I don't have a favourite sports team
- I wonder vaguely whether that question actually had anything to do with sports
- I don't have a favourite pet
- I don't know my grandmother's middle name, and never did
- I don't have a favourite colour
- I've never owned a dog
- Are pets ever really owned?
- Doesn't that speak to the denegration of others based on species?
- Aren't we against that?

and around this point, I start to think

- I've had enough of this
- this is too hard
- I don't even remember what I am signing up for at this point
- I am going to look for amusing cats on youtube

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Peter Beckman                                                  Internet Guy
beckman () angryox com                                 http://www.angryox.com/
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