Ashley Madison users chose passwords like "whyareyoudoingthis"

Cory Doctorow 4:03 am Mon Sep 14, 2015

Now that 11.7 million Ashley Madison users' passwords been shown to be crackable, we're learning that password security has not improved since the last giant dump of user passwords.

Cynosure Prime has published an analysis of passwords extracted from the database. Included is a set of passwords used by "suspicious accounts" implicated in Ashley Madison's scammy army of chatbots that were virtually the only women seeking men on the service.

Also interesting is the set of confessional passwords, like "ithinkilovemywife" and "whatthehellamidoing." These read like cries for help from users in the grips of a compulsion.

Those that are having doubts about using the site:
ishouldnotbedoingthis
ithinkilovemywife
thisiswrong
whatthehellamidoing
whyareyoudoingthis
cheatersneverprosper
donteventhinkaboutit
isthisreallyhappening

Those that are in denial:
likeimreallygoingtocheat
justcheckingitout
justtryingthisout
goodguydoingthewrongthing

Those who think this is a dating site:
lookingfornewlife
friendswithbenefits

Those who trusted AM:
youwillneverfindout
youwillnevergetthis
secretissafewithme

CsP: Our take on the cracked AM passwords thus far [Cynosure Prime]

(via Ars Technica)

Posh British bank tells its posh customers to turn off phone updates

The high-class British bank Coutts (~£1m minimum balance) has told its customers to turn off phone updates. Despite its £690m annual revenue, its app breaks in the latest version of iOS and that's its idea of a fix, until it finds a boffin to sort out out the problem with the new electrics. If you… READ THE REST
College to close after severe ransomware attack

Lincoln College, among few rural historically Black colleges, survived two World Wars and the Great Depression. But a ransomware attack, two years of the Covid pandemic, and a bunch of other stuff have finally put an end to it. Lincoln College was a victim of a cyberattack in December 2021 that thwarted admissions activities and… READ THE REST
Gentleman robs company that specializes in security cameras

A gentleman in South Nashville cut a fence and broke into the headquarters of Pro Systems, a company that specializes in security cameras. The thief absconded with $20,000 worth of goods. Unsurprisingly, police quickly apprehended the man who was easily identified on surveillance footage. According to WKRN, "Pro Systems was able to recover most of… READ THE REST
These at-home health services make it easy to take vital tests without setting foot in a doctor's office.

Life can be hectic, which is why so much of our day-to-day activities have shifted to online services. But, one thing that's been difficult to move to the online world is keeping track of your health. While you used to have to account for all the time you'd sit in traffic on the way to… READ THE REST
Now There's A Simple Way To Transform Any Lock Into A Smart Lock

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Control your existing door lock from your phone with the Switchbot Lock. When it comes to smart locks, there's no shortage of options available. In fact, there are so many options… READ THE REST
Say goodbye to TVs for good: This projector is cooler AND cheaper

We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Many folks would say that a television set is a home essential, but it has clear downsides. For one, they're typically expensive. Plus, once you mount one to your wall, that's… READ THE REST