Another Rockian’s email account is hacked.. and spewing porn adverts at me.

Well I guess it is not just a Rockian thing. Dohtishness and laziness flourishess outside of the Rock too. Everybody goes “Oooooh.. but I had a really strong password” and in my mind I say “Bollocks!!”.

1. The guidance from Wikipedia is good (and is standard) but how many people do the following? Few
2. A minimum password length of 12 to 14 characters if permitted
3. Generating passwords randomly where feasible
4. Avoiding passwords based on repetition, dictionary words, letter or number sequences, usernames, relative or pet names, romantic links (current or past), or biographical information (e.g., ID numbers, ancestors’ names or dates).
5. Including numbers, and symbols in passwords if allowed by the system.
6. If the system recognises case as significant, using capital and lower-case letters
7. Avoiding using the same password for multiple sites or purposes

Why do few people do the above?

1. It is psychologically less stressful to tax the brain to remember 14 character passwords with a bunch of random characters, of the above type, for each of several sites/accounts..
2. People create a myth that they are doing the right thing but in reality they are lying to themselves. And they know that if they are hacked they can lie through the teeth about their password-length simply because no one else knows or will know the truth about their password that was hacked! That’s the easiest lie to get away with – something that no one else can know about (factually).
3. They are intelligent but stupid! Yes – here’s the news! Intelligence and stupidity are often best friends.
4. “It’s no large thing” people tell themselves if they get hacked. Yuh know the cry, “Everybody gets hacked at some stage don’t they?” Like no!

Well after that round of ‘abuse’ as you will see it, I probably ought to offer some solutions. But I know that you’ll read it later. And I know that later means you’ll forget to read it. And I know that if you do read it, you’ll create a dozen-plus excuses in your head why you can’t do it. So why am I doing this? Have I got time to waste? No. I want to prove how stupid people are.. and that’s worth my time. If anyone has read this and has actually implemented a solution suggested please respond. Lack of responses means I’ve probably proven my case, about stupidity of the human condition.

Solution:

1. Get Roboform Everywhere.
2. Study it.
3. Use it in accordance with accepted guidance.
4. Yes Roboform works with Android-based and other phones.

[No pecuniary advantage to be derived in providing the above information. There are alternative free solutions. I just happen to like paying Roboform for what they do.]