Pet Peeve - Passwords

Discussion in 'Support & Feedback' started by fireboat, May 8, 2010.

  1. #1
    I just logged into DigitalPoint and was greeted with a message I've never seen on here before - "You password is 181 days old and has expired."

    Maybe it's just a personal pet peeve, but I don't understand why forums and small sites sometimes require password changes. I have enough trouble remembering all of my "important" passwords.

    Yes, sure, I wrote it down, but I still think its an unnecessary inconvenience. If it were my online banking - or something with lots of personal information - I'd understand. But, c'mon guys... it's just an online forum.

    I'm done venting. And I do appreciate all I take away from my conversations at DP. There are good people here. Thanks to the webmasters, admins, and moderators who make it all happen.
     
    fireboat, May 8, 2010 IP
  2. deluxdon

    deluxdon Catch Me If You Can...!!!™ Staff

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    #2
    Not sure about you but still for so many users this forum is important so this is the right move by admin IMO.

    DON.
     
    deluxdon, May 8, 2010 IP
  3. Brian1970

    Brian1970 Notable Member

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    #3
    It not a small forum and well worth a little bit of hassle changing your password a couple of times a year.

    Thanks Brian
     
    Brian1970, May 8, 2010 IP
  4. Helvetii

    Helvetii Notable Member

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    #4
    Its a multi million dollar marketplace.
     
    Helvetii, May 8, 2010 IP
  5. Grit.

    Grit. Well-Known Member

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    #5
    It's good practice to change your password regularly. Not only this, but it helps to keep your account more secure. Not only this, but it helps reduce the number of people with hacked accounts, and reduces workload for the staff
     
    Grit., May 8, 2010 IP
  6. Caniac

    Caniac Peon

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    #6
    Yes, you should actually change it more often, but they require a change every 180 days for security reasons.
     
    Caniac, May 8, 2010 IP
  7. zodiac

    zodiac Peon

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    #7
    did you know you can enter the same password that you have.
    it takes you 2 seconds to enter your password and then your back to reading pointless threads. :)
     
    zodiac, May 8, 2010 IP
  8. fireboat

    fireboat Active Member

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    #8
    Well..... I guess I'm in the minority on this one. :)
     
    fireboat, May 9, 2010 IP
  9. rafderamas

    rafderamas Active Member

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    #9
    changing passwords is not needed, as long as you know that only you know your password and you are safe from trojans and keylogging programs.
     
    rafderamas, May 9, 2010 IP
  10. nts

    nts Active Member

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    #10
    Many studies have found that frequent forced password changes do not lead to more security! They force users to make easier to remember passwords, instead of memorizing a strong password.

    For example: http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/site/blog/post/password-change-myths/

    The best protection is to prevent your strong password from being stolen in the first place.
     
    nts, May 19, 2010 IP
  11. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #11
    Agreed... unfortunately users do not do that, so...
     
    digitalpoint, May 19, 2010 IP
  12. Love*

    Love* Well-Known Member

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    #12
    LOL One of my pet peeves as well since I take great care of my password, it's annoying how I have to change it & instead, open the possibility of forgetting what I changed it with. Extra hassle having to recover it through e-amil, or try 5 wrong passwords & be stuck not being able to log in for a while, some inconveniences I would rather skip. But then, eh, it's a big forum, I understand why we have to do it.
     
    Love*, May 20, 2010 IP
  13. Pros

    Pros Well-Known Member

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    #13
    There once was a file..

    The file, once born, was given the name.. "greatness.txt"

    In his life, he was given very sensitive information, because he was very trusted.

    And it was well placed trust, as he kept loyal, and learned the art of encryption.

    Through his life, he noticed that Notepad didn't allow enough undoing, and he was lucky enough to not lose much because of not using Wordpad or Notepad++.

    As he grew, he began to ask "what are these passwords to?" and he was shown the internet.

    Then he Googled, "Random Password Generator", and told his master that so long as he was being used to copy+paste passwords, they may as well be very secure.

    The master then came to DigitalPoint and passed on what he had learned from the wise file...
     
    Pros, May 21, 2010 IP
  14. link4gold

    link4gold Active Member

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    #14
    AHah nice.. yeah too many passwords and PW rules..
     
    link4gold, May 22, 2010 IP
  15. oneawesomeguy

    oneawesomeguy Peon

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    #15
    I was just about to start a thread with this same topic.

    Forcing users to change passwords is a little ridiculous. Sure, security is important, but it should always be up to the user what password he or she uses. Forcing users to change passwords more frequently than they would like will force them to write their passwords down, put them into plain text files, or use other insecure methods to remember their passwords.

    Most of the people on this forum are technologically literate and do not need to be babied and forced to change their passwords.

    Why not just use a password strength meter for the site? Or, just remind users they should change passwords every 180 days, but do no require it.

    P.S. I tried entering my same password but was told I could not do that. Now, I have all my other passwords secured in my head while my DP password sits plainly on a post-it next to my computer for all to see.
     
    oneawesomeguy, Jun 29, 2010 IP