This has always disturbed me to no end. Devices hiding MY password, from ME!
In the infancy of the computer age, all the way through today. They taught you two basic things. Protect your password from others, don’t use the same password on multiple accounts. In working environments this made sense. In other situations, not so much. The geniuses thought if they hid the password as it was typed on the screen, then someone behind you, could not see and steal your password. Thus, a “Star” was born (An asterisk actually).
Never mind the fact they could watch you type out your password on the keys. Of course, polite people turn their heads, or turn around as someone is using a password. Or a sneaky key-logger program could capture your passwords as you typed them asterisks or not. It records the keys pressed, not what shows on the screen. Showing the Asterisk in a workplace environment may be a good idea, not so much in our own privacy. If someone I don’t know is standing behind me, in my house, then they have a bigger problem than just seeing my password.
Password History
- Passwords were simple, it wasn’t a smart thing, but simple. abcd, 1234, flower, ford, etc. There were far fewer threats in those days.
- Companies would actually assign passwords like (first/last name initials and employee number).
- Computers became more important, and we were told our passwords were too easy to guess. Hacking programs could find the password in milliseconds. We needed letters and numbers.
- We were told that they needed to be over 8 characters, made of all manner of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
- We now have evolved into something like wuGqF3yqA3o*CAu (randomly generated for an example, not an actual password).
Password managers
People with multiple phones, computers and other devices they own, need to remember these ultra complex passwords. So password Managers were born. What happened to the cardinal rule, “Don’t share your password with anyone”. They will store your password/s for you, and insert them as you visit your websites. Really convenient, but what happens if someone hacks the password manager site. Or hacks a large website you do business with. Then you must start the process over, making new passwords. So we hide them from our own sight, but hand them over to a total stranger to keep for us, and hope they are secure from attacks.
2017 Data Breach of OneLogin. All US customers emails, passwords stolen.
I get way too frustrated trying to remember if I hit the wrong key by accident, little stars staring at me are no help, and some programs, don’t display anything while you type the password. How about giving the user the option, especially in a private setting, of default showing the password as you type it. Turn it on or off if needed. It’s 2018, why are we still hiding passwords from ourselves?
What are your feelings on “Staring at the Stars” (Asterisks) trying to use your password.
Comments always welcome,
Great to see this on a post, and clearly explained. I have said the same thing on countless occasions. If I have logged on to something and created a password, then why is it hidden from me? it is so bloody frustrating, especially when you make a typo, and get the ‘Password not recognised’ message. The asterisks give you no indication of where you went wrong, so you have to do it all over again with a new password. And so it continues…
Nice work, Ron. I will join your campaign. Sign me up!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks Pete, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It just seems, so senseless, in a home/private setting.
Yes, passwords are frustrating. Our computer tends to remember mine so that helps. Wish their was a better way.
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Yes, passwords are frustrating. Our computer tends to remember mine so that helps. Wish there was a better way.
I agree, Andrea. My computer remembers mine for the most part, unless I had to change it recently for some reason. Then it pops up and fills it in, only to find it is the old password. But we don’t know, so get rejected and have to try again. Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it.
I have so many passwords that I have a password protected file to list them all. I keep a list of John’s too, because he always thinks he can remember them. Life was easier in the old days!
Anne, I think we are beginning to train ourselves, and children, to forget things that we need to remember. If for nothing else, exercise our brains. Smart phones remember phone numbers for us. I can’t remember my brothers cell number, he’s just a small round picture, that gets selected. I keep a typed, protected list, on my computer too. A written one printed out and taped to the desk pullout. Never the complete pass word, but the first 2-3 characters to jog my memory.
For a good laugh, I handed someone an older flip phone (non-smart phone), and asked them to call one of their family members. They just stared at it, finally admitting, they couldn’t recall the “number”.
Count me in the non-number-remembering group! I have no idea what my children’s numbers are. I did finally memorize John’s.
What happened to my reply?? I was telling you that I don’t know our children’s numbers, but I did manage to learn John’s.
Must have been a gremlin in the system, I see your replay above. It’s good to know I’m not the only one that can’t remember them.
Thanks for the comment Anne, always great to see your smile.
I look at posts two ways — through the app on Firefox and from an Avast platform. My replies don’t register sometimes, so I’m training myself to check on them.
“If someone I don’t know is standing behind me, in my house, then they have a bigger problem than just seeing my password.” This made me LOL! 🙂
Some sites now have the choice in which you can view the password or not as you type. I wish all sites would implement this option. I would never use a password manager as it can be hacked.
I’ve started noticing that, I think it is a nice touch.
I’m old fashioned, I don’t like “the cloud”. For pictures, fine, for sensitive things, It is dangerous. When someone (like this article mentioned) says they store your passwords in the cloud, many of us older people, assume “they” are storing it. Not true, they rent space on a computer in a huge datacenter, possibly not even in your own country, and that is where your information sits. Sometimes the password people are responsible for all the security to keep it safe, sometimes it is shared with the people storing the information. I’d rather know my password is on my computer, I just feel better.
Thanks for your comment.
I agree with you. Most sites now have the eyeball at the right side. You can click on it and see the password you typed in but as soon as your finger lifts, it’s all asterisks again. Wish I had the option of always seeing the p/w. I have over 100 passwords. How would anyone remember that many. I used to use the same for all the purchasing sites but was told that was a bad idea. I liked it better when it was a simpler life in many ways.
You and I both Kate. I miss the simple life. I break the rules, I use 3 for sensitive things. That way, if I can’t remember the password, I can try two more, one of which should work. If a place gets breached and that password stolen, I change it where it is used.
I hate the momentary passwords. Type a letter in semi-darkness, and try to look up at the phone screen before it goes back to a dot or star. Maddening!
Only this morning the bank sent a email to my email to confirm that the person signing in with the correct password was actually me. I would think that it would be pretty easy to open my email if they had stolen my computer! Oh well.
Glad you mentioned that Elizabeth, if a bank contacts you by email, I always “call” the bank to see what they want. That way, I feel I have the bank, and not some hacker posing as the bank through email.
Good Post Ron. I agree 100%
You said:
“It’s 2018, why are we still hiding passwords from ourselves?”
That’s what I wonder. ha.
There are a couple places I go to that asks me if I want my password revealed or hidden. Not many tho. I wouldn’t care if we didn’t have passwords. I don’t bank or anything on line. But I know lots of people do and they get their accounts hacked now and then. Pretty sad that the crooks have to bow so low to earn a living to steal from others.
Even sadder Sandy, are those that do it for sport. They just get a thrill out of doing it.
Thanks for the comment this evening. Always a pleasure.
As Kate says above, I too have a little app that can ‘show’ or ‘hide’ my password as I type it, whichever choice I pick. I forget the name of it now, though! Ay yi… And I still haven’t got a Password Manager, which my daughter (the techie) says I MUST get!! Another ‘ay yi’! I can’t keep up, I tell you…