security principles you should NOT follow

[Snowhog]

Stick with typewriters.

With or without ribbon??

[Tom_ZeCat]

Alright, who changed the title of this thread?????

If anyone here actually would have followed any of the advice here in this thread, here's my real security advice:

Never, never, never use a computer. Stick with typewriters.

[Snowhog]

You know I had to!

[SteveRiley]

Alright, who changed the title of this thread?????

[jlittle]

At a job I had at a stockbrokers, the cashiers department had control over money transfer systems that could move ridiculous amounts of money. Part of their approach to password management was to make the passwords so embarrassing they'd never tell anyone. You could make some of the younger ones blush just by asking innocently "Do you know the xyz password?".

Regards, John Little

[oshunluvr]

I had a self-inking rubber stamp made with my password, which is "tomsmoochcherylin" and I stamp it all over everywhere, both at home and in the workplace. That's the PG-rated version. I have an X-rated one too, which I also stamped everywhere. Of course, Cherylin is an attractive woman at work whom I'm not in a relationship with. She's filed sexual harrassment charges against me, but at least I'm really sure I won't forget my password now.

Oh geez. I hope that's a joke...

[Tom_ZeCat]

7. Always write out your password on a post it and stick it on the side of your monitor so that you'll never forget it. This is expecially smart to do in the workplace.
Some people sell Post-It pads with pre-written passwords on eBay. This alleviates the drudgery of having to devise your own password list.

I had a self-inking rubber stamp made with my password, which is "tomsmoochcherylin" and I stamp it all over everywhere, both at home and in the workplace. That's the PG-rated version. I have an X-rated one too, which I also stamped everywhere. Of course, Cherylin is an attractive woman at work whom I'm not in a relationship with. She's filed sexual harrassment charges against me, but at least I'm really sure I won't forget my password now.

[Qqmike]

kubicle, "Man, the forums are on a roll today."

It's been a reminder to me that I need to lighten up a bit here! Chasing each one of these with some serious, insightful comment (or effort at such) makes you (e.g., me) look like an idiot! :-)

[kubicle]

Man, the forums are on a roll today. Stop it people...I don't have time to read everything....and I'm running out of quarter-witty remarks. QED.

[SteveRiley]

I'm just trying to get my post count up to 6,000 today. See? One more closer!

[Snowhog]

Must be due to that last piece of pie!!

[oshunluvr]

Boy, Steve is in an ornery mood today!

[SteveRiley]

1. Always use only one password for everything. This will help you to not forget your password. It's fine to use the same password that you use at disgustingperverts.com as you use at your banking institution.
In real corporate settings, with centrally-managed IT, this is called single signon. It is truly convenient, both for employees and attackers.

2. Use a really short password, especially if it's a simple word with no numbers.
I don't know any words with numbers in them, so how does length matter here?

3. If you must use numbers in a password, make it something easy to remember like your birth date or your phone number.
Wait, these aren't words. I don't understand what you're trying to say.

4. The word "sex" makes a great password. It's easy to remember and no one will guess that you think about it all the time.
It also makes a great hobby, especially when your neighbors want to express their thanks for that awesome wi-fi you have.

5. Never mind using a password for your home Wifi network and share all hard drives and printers on the network.
It's very dangerous to walk up and down stairs while carrying hard drives and printers, so this suggestion will help keep you safe.

6. Invite your neighbors to use your wifi in exchange for those great brownies that they make.
Don't forget to bring the lube, too.

7. Always write out your password on a post it and stick it on the side of your monitor so that you'll never forget it. This is expecially smart to do in the workplace.
Some people sell Post-It pads with pre-written passwords on eBay. This alleviates the drudgery of having to devise your own password list.

8. If you're involved in any activities that could be interpreted as illegal, make sure to discuss them on the cell phone and on wireless telephones. This helps you avoid bugs.
In the summer, bugs can be especially nasty, particularly when they get trapped in your brownies or smothered by lube. Do whatever you can to keep them away.

9. If you have a child, it's great practice to use his or her name as your password.
Borg children have great passwords with numbers. Eight-of-ten follows this advice all the time.

10. Watch for e-mails from your bank. They alert you about important things. You should always log in when you get one of these important e-mails.
My bank says I should bring my brownies to their next bake sale, what do you think they might do to me in return? They also want me to change my password to the same one I use for eBay. Is that OK?

11. You can make a lot of money from a Nigerian prince. Watch for his e-mails.
He wanted to borrow my wi-fi the other day. I told him no, because he wasn't my type. Then I think he put some bugs in my brownies. They're really slippery.

[kubicle]

If you must share your user id and password for a site with someone else, always send it to them by email.

How about sending it to all the mailing lists you can think of, the recipient might be subscribed to one of them.

[Tom_ZeCat]

Sad thing is, numerous things on that list are ones that I personally know of people doing. At one company where I worked, I was assigned the task of going from desk to desk making people shred the Post-Its that they had written their password on and stuck to their monitor. I even had one lady throw a fit over my instructions and had to summon the main boss to come back me up. She was really mad when she was told she had to change her password and would not be allowed to use Post Its for it anymore.