Security Questions

[snoochface]

Do you ever see new threads pop up and think, "Huh, that's a bank security question, not touching that one"? LOL there have been a ton of threads in the last few days that all have me like, yeah, this is why I answer all my security questions with fake answers.

 

[A_Thinker]

Do you ever see new threads pop up and think, "Huh, that's a bank security question, not touching that one"? LOL there have been a ton of threads in the last few days that all have me like, yeah, this is why I answer all my security questions with fake answers.

Never thought of that .... something to think about ...

 

[DZoolander]

I usually choose security questions that are REALLY obscure and not likely to come up in casual conversation/forums/etc. Like - what was the name of my first pet - what was the name of my best childhood friend - etc.

 

[PeachieKeen]

I'm looking at the threads and have no clue which could be a security question! Haha... I always get like moms maiden name, dad's middle name, high school mascot, first boyfriends name, etc. If a security question asked me how much sex I was having or what my husband and I fight about, I'd tell it where to put it's question... Lol

 

[snoochface]

I tend to make mine fake. First pet was Godzilla, best friend was Elvira, LOL. Then I have to remember what my fake answers were.

 

[DZoolander]

Elvira - something kids today don't know about. lol

 

[Saricharity]

Elvira - something kids today don't know about. lol

I had to google who she was LOL

 

[Saricharity]

I guess I haven't noticed either. Usually, my questions are who was your first teacher or what is your mothers maiden name or something odd like that.

 

[mkgal1]

I tend to make mine fake. First pet was Godzilla, best friend was Elvira, LOL. Then I have to remember what my fake answers were.

That's my strategy as well. On some accounts (and it's getting harder and harder to recall where I've done this) I use the same answer for all. So, IOW, "Elvira" for favorite teacher; first pet; and favorite restaurant.

 

[snoochface]

Thanks, btw, for making me feel old because of Elvira LOL.

 

[mkgal1]

Hey...I just look at it that we're well-informed and well-rounded (not old!).

 

[snoochface]

Some of us are more well-"rounded" than others LOL. Another hazard of being old enough to know who Elvira is

 

[mkgal1]

Haha.....I didn't even think of how I worded that

You're right about that hazard, though

 

[mama2one]

what are the bank security questions?
we don't bank online or do taxes online

 

[snoochface]

The common security questions are things like mother's maiden name, but many institutions have tried to make them more clever by asking questions that wouldn't be easy to find through public records. Those are the ones I was thinking about. Where did you go on your honeymoon, for example, or where did you meet your spouse, who was your first grade teacher, how old were you when you had your first child, etc.

 

[DZoolander]

Hey, I'm old too then apparently. I remember watching Elvira back in Jr. High. lol

 

[akmom]

Most of the these questions have answers that are quite possible to find out, with diligence. I mean, maybe 20 years ago no one would know your mother's middle name, but now it's probably in several public records - most of which are available online - and locating a person's relatives is easier than ever. Same with childhood street name. Not to mention people connect with old classmates and teacher commonly now, so it wouldn't be that obscure of a question to ask who someone's third grade teacher was. You never know when you're going to get tagged in a vintage picture with an old family pet, and someone comments, "Oh that's Fido! Our first dog!" (All security questions I've seen.) I can hardly ever find a security question from the dropdown list that I'd comfortable using as a password reset.

Then you have absurd password and security requirements to protect accounts that don't even need a password, like Pinterest. All it does is make it hard to access because having four symbols, a letter-number combination and no English words embedded into your password renders it impossible to remember yourself! For some websites, I click "forgot password" before I even try.

 

[mkgal1]

Then you have absurd password and security requirements to protect accounts that don't even need a password, like Pinterest. All it does is make it hard to access because having four symbols, a letter-number combination and no English words embedded into your password renders it impossible to remember yourself! For some websites, I click "forgot password" before I even try.

You're so right....accounts like Pinterest being locked down so tightly are just making it so difficult to remember all these security clearances.

I hate how on some accounts I can't even repeat passwords I've used before (and they have to be updated often). I'm clicking on "forgot password" a LOT lately.

 

[mama2one]

surprised how many passwords are in my head and for some odd reason know my long library card no.
need to write these all down before forget

 

[DZoolander]

I've got a couple of different "usual" passwords - so it doesn't take me that long to narrow it down. Usually it's a variation of 3 different possible words (in a foreign language - spelled how I thought they were spelled but wrong) with some number/character variations at the end. I rarely ever get to the "forgot password" option.

As for whether anyone might be able to track down say the name of my best friend in childhood or something obscure like that - I suppose in some bizarro land where they actually were stalking me or trying to figure it out. But that would mean that they're specifically targeting *ME* for hacking...which generally isn't what happens. MOST stuff is random.

I've never seen any statistics on it - but if I had to make an educated guess - I'd say that at least 98% of all hacks and intrusions into people's personal information come from them stupidly giving out their information to a phishing scheme or something else of the like. People don't pay attention to what they're doing.

"Oh, Bank of America sent me this email saying someone stole money from my account and I'd better log in to check? Sure, let me click that link" (and they don't pay attention it's linking to something like haxxxxor.whatever.phishing.cn.whatever - and they fill out the form.

Voila - you just gave people your info.