Comments on: Now is a good time to re-set your Twitter password and disable Java in your browser http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 16:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Kimmo http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644845 Kimmo Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644845 And that would be precisely what I seemed to recall. <3 Randall Munroe. And that would be precisely what I seemed to recall.

<3 Randall Munroe.

]]> By: Charlie B http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644780 Charlie B Sun, 03 Feb 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644780 Netscape's strategy of renaming livecript "javascript" was fscking brilliant, eh?  Several million bucks of advertising... paid for by Sun.  Of course in the end Oracle and Microsoft ate them both. Netscape’s strategy of renaming livecript “javascript” was fscking brilliant, eh?  Several million bucks of advertising… paid for by Sun.  Of course in the end Oracle and Microsoft ate them both.

]]> By: Charlie B http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644778 Charlie B Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644778 NASA.  I told them not to, but they got all pissed off. I am totally not kidding. NASA.  I told them not to, but they got all pissed off.

I am totally not kidding.

]]> By: Sign Ahead http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644686 Sign Ahead Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644686 That's exactly what I was doing. Thank you, Aleknevicus! That’s exactly what I was doing. Thank you, Aleknevicus!

]]> By: Aleknevicus http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644671 Aleknevicus Sat, 02 Feb 2013 21:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644671 Make sure you're not mistaking Javascript for Java (they're not the same). The former is very commonly used, the latter much less so. You'd have to have very out of the ordinary browsing habits if most of the websites you use require Java. Make sure you’re not mistaking Javascript for Java (they’re not the same). The former is very commonly used, the latter much less so. You’d have to have very out of the ordinary browsing habits if most of the websites you use require Java.

]]> By: Rindan http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644637 Rindan Sat, 02 Feb 2013 19:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644637 This is a valuable lesson in why you should use a password locker of some flavor.  When one of these sites gets hacked, I just setup another random string for a password and call it a day.  If all your passwords are different, you don't need to trust anyone to secure your password.  Toss on a layer of 2-step into your e-mail and baking stuff and you are golden.  You are not impervious to an attack, but you are far harder than most people and probably only are vulnerable if someone is specifically out to get you personally. This is a valuable lesson in why you should use a password locker of some flavor.  When one of these sites gets hacked, I just setup another random string for a password and call it a day.  If all your passwords are different, you don’t need to trust anyone to secure your password.  Toss on a layer of 2-step into your e-mail and baking stuff and you are golden.  You are not impervious to an attack, but you are far harder than most people and probably only are vulnerable if someone is specifically out to get you personally.

]]> By: Sign Ahead http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644608 Sign Ahead Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644608 My computer expertise is limited to some very specific applications. Outside of those, I'm only moderately competent, so I think I missed something important in this discussion. Yesterday, I disabled Java (in Google Chrome) and tried navigating the web. Most of the sites I use regularly, for work and entertainment, stopped working. There were key functions I simply couldn't use without Java enabled. Is there a workaround for this? Or is it simply a choice between usability and safety? My computer expertise is limited to some very specific applications. Outside of those, I’m only moderately competent, so I think I missed something important in this discussion.

Yesterday, I disabled Java (in Google Chrome) and tried navigating the web. Most of the sites I use regularly, for work and entertainment, stopped working. There were key functions I simply couldn’t use without Java enabled. Is there a workaround for this? Or is it simply a choice between usability and safety?

]]> By: dragonfrog http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644567 dragonfrog Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644567 As ohbejoyful says - lots and lots of enterprise-y systems rely on Java on the desktop, to overcome the horribleness of IE 6, which the entire organization is stuck using because their online timesheet system isn't supported on other browsers (it may work better on other browsers, but it isn't <i>supported</i>). As ohbejoyful says – lots and lots of enterprise-y systems rely on Java on the desktop, to overcome the horribleness of IE 6, which the entire organization is stuck using because their online timesheet system isn’t supported on other browsers (it may work better on other browsers, but it isn’t supported).

]]> By: Hugh Johnson http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644553 Hugh Johnson Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644553  Shocked kitty!  Shocked kitty!

]]> By: millie fink http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644534 millie fink Sat, 02 Feb 2013 13:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644534 Can't be good if it's not weird. Can’t be good if it’s not weird.

]]> By: MarcVader http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644519 MarcVader Sat, 02 Feb 2013 12:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644519  Dammit! I'll have to change all these passwords from "password" to "1234password" now!! FML  Dammit! I’ll have to change all these passwords from “password” to “1234password” now!! FML

]]> By: Aleknevicus http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644429 Aleknevicus Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644429 I think you've missed what Kimmo was suggesting/enquiring about: Rather that using 6 characters chosen from a set of 72, isn't it better to choose more than 6 characters from a set of 26? The answer is yes, so long as you choose 8 or more characters: 72^6 ~= 139 billion 26^8 ~= 208 billion (And importantly, as per the XKCD reference, it can actually be *easier* for a human to remember a 20-character password made up from the lowercase alphabet, than it is to remember a 10-character password made up from a set of 72.) I think you’ve missed what Kimmo was suggesting/enquiring about: Rather that using 6 characters chosen from a set of 72, isn’t it better to choose more than 6 characters from a set of 26?

The answer is yes, so long as you choose 8 or more characters:

72^6 ~= 139 billion
26^8 ~= 208 billion

(And importantly, as per the XKCD reference, it can actually be *easier* for a human to remember a 20-character password made up from the lowercase alphabet, than it is to remember a 10-character password made up from a set of 72.)

]]> By: Rezeya Montecore http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644386 Rezeya Montecore Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644386 And they forgot to tell us about their "1 weird clue." And they forgot to tell us about their “1 weird clue.”

]]> By: robuluz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644377 robuluz Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644377 I kind of thought it would be someone like that. I kind of thought it would be someone like that.

]]> By: ohbejoyful http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644368 ohbejoyful Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644368 The html interface to a lot of Oracle systems use java, which means lots of people in very large companies have to have it turned on, at least in one browser. The html interface to a lot of Oracle systems use java, which means lots of people in very large companies have to have it turned on, at least in one browser.

]]> By: dragonfrog http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644359 dragonfrog Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644359  Only if you're choosing fully at random among the character set for your password.  Which you're not.  Only if you’re choosing fully at random among the character set for your password.  Which you’re not.

]]> By: compfeznetau http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644327 compfeznetau Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644327  Link is down?  Link is down?

]]> By: David_Gervais http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644321 David_Gervais Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644321 It's the other way round.  If you have 6 characters, all lower case, you have 26^6 possible passwords, easily brute-force broken. Use upper and lower case; 52^6; add ten digits;  62^6; add 10 other chars; 72^6; at present, almost unbreakable.  This works even better with 8 characters. It’s the other way round.  If you have 6 characters, all lower case, you have 26^6 possible passwords, easily brute-force broken.
Use upper and lower case; 52^6;
add ten digits;  62^6;
add 10 other chars; 72^6; at present, almost unbreakable. 
This works even better with 8 characters.

]]> By: coop http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644301 coop Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644301  Obligatory XKCD reference: http://xkcd.com/936/  Obligatory XKCD reference: http://xkcd.com/936/

]]> By: robuluz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644273 robuluz Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644273 Who's still running Java? Who’s still running Java?

]]> By: Kimmo http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644266 Kimmo Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644266 I seem to recall seeing something that said password length matters a lot more than special characters, so wouldn't something like this be quite secure? ohmydobbsicantbelievewhatapaininthearsethisis I seem to recall seeing something that said password length matters a lot more than special characters, so wouldn’t something like this be quite secure?

ohmydobbsicantbelievewhatapaininthearsethisis

]]> By: Rick Adams http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644263 Rick Adams Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644263 How do you expect anyone to fall for this when you use appropriate grammar? How do you expect anyone to fall for this when you use appropriate grammar?

]]> By: Jason http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644252 Jason Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644252 It's OK. After the last twitter compromise, I used a random-password generator. My password for twitter is now |uO(f}af94e^`GPwjjL5F7.sSRos]z~5r9Jb!MJH2A6;g7DRqk if you can believe that. Takes me forever to type, but there's no way it's going to be cracked. It’s OK. After the last twitter compromise, I used a random-password generator. My password for twitter is now

|uO(f}af94e^`GPwjjL5F7.sSRos]z~5r9Jb!MJH2A6;g7DRqk

if you can believe that. Takes me forever to type, but there’s no way it’s going to be cracked.

]]> By: Guysmiley http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644249 Guysmiley Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644249 There are so many zero day Java exploits in the wild, unless you have a clear need to have it enabled in your browser (and no, Minecraft doesn't count, download the standalone) you should have it OFF. There are so many zero day Java exploits in the wild, unless you have a clear need to have it enabled in your browser (and no, Minecraft doesn’t count, download the standalone) you should have it OFF.

]]> By: cameronhorsburgh http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644246 cameronhorsburgh Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644246 So 250,000 people are going to get an email claiming to be from Twitter saying their passwords have been compromised and they need to create new ones. Somehow, just somehow, I think a few more than 250,000 people are going to get email claiming to be from Twitter saying their passwords have been compromised and they need to create new ones.  So 250,000 people are going to get an email claiming to be from Twitter saying their passwords have been compromised and they need to create new ones.

Somehow, just somehow, I think a few more than 250,000 people are going to get email claiming to be from Twitter saying their passwords have been compromised and they need to create new ones. 

]]> By: Anne Onimos http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644243 Anne Onimos Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644243 Seems like it's probably an even better time to re-set your Facebook, iTunes, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc., etc. password. Seems like it’s probably an even better time to re-set your Facebook, iTunes, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc., etc. password.

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2013/02/01/now-is-a-good-time-to-re-set-y.html#comment-1644239 Brainspore Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=210270#comment-1644239 I CAN'T BELIEVE MY MOTHER'S FRIEND MAKES $21,283 A DAY WATCHING CAT VIDEOS ONLINE. BEST QUALITY PHARMACEUTICALS http://www.totallylegitproducts.cn #notascam #bejing I CAN’T BELIEVE MY MOTHER’S FRIEND MAKES $21,283 A DAY WATCHING CAT VIDEOS ONLINE. BEST QUALITY PHARMACEUTICALS http://www.totallylegitproducts.cn #notascam #bejing

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