Stupid Bloody Users

[andrewducker]

When I was an IT Manager one of the constant problems we bumped into was idiots giving out their passwords, writing them down and sharing them around.

I wasn't at all surprised therefore to read that:

Nine in ten (90 per cent) of office workers at London's Waterloo Station gave away their computer password for a cheap pen, compared with 65 per cent last year.

Men were slightly more likely to reveal their password with 95 per cent of blokes, compared to 85 per cent of women quizzed, prepared to hand over their password on request.

One interviewee said, "I am the CEO, I will not give you my password it could compromise my company's information".

A good start, but then the company boss blew it. He later said that his password was his daughter's name.

What is your daughters name the interviewer cheekily asked.

He replied without thinking: "Tasmin".

Comments

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I happily give away my password: "j43%LuP". Now give me pen!

No! Give pen before test password! Or I chop off your head with the big fangy copper battleaxe in my briefcase!

(which is to say, I will freely give out *a* password, but not one I use.)

[rollick.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Who's to say that these people are actually giving out their passwords? Even if the pen was sufficiently shiny or something and these people actually had a reason to talk to the interviewers instead of staring at their feet, mumbling "sorry…" and hurrying past, they're still capable of simple lying. I do this with persistent guys asking for my name or phone number.

P.S. Poor kid-named-Tasmin…

P.P.S. Wait, WHY do you have a big fangy copper battleaxe in your briefcase? WHERE do you work and how do I get a job there?

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I've got to admit, the idea that these people might be lying occurred to me also. If people are lying and giving out fake passwords, this is in many ways better than them giving out none at all (at least wrt security). OTOH, I suspect that most of them aren't.

[tisme.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of Chuck Palasldhowhwhhewh's book Lullaby, where everybody's password is 'password'.