The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[GreenHall]

So based on the number of bounce backs in my in-box, plus my copy for each of my email addresses, because I'm in my address book, I think one of my yahoo accounts sent out a spam today.   I was able to get into my account, so it's not completely hijacked. 

Is there anything I need to do? Should I change my password?

Email seemed to be a link, that I was not willing to try, even with my cat killing curiousity level.  I guess I should be happy I'm not destitute in a foreign country, or needing emergency medical care (as seen in the scam thread...)

[JoW]

Definately change your password.  Make it very complicated.  Make it so complicated you have to write it on scrap paper and hide it under your monitor.  If you are feeling ambitious change the passwords for all of your accounts. 

[WillyNilly]

Okay, stupid question regarding the Messiah/Hallelujah chorus and standing -- why do people stand up? What is the reasoning behind the protocol?

This question can be applied to the (US) national anthem . . . or the recitation of the pledge to the flag.

Is standing up more respectful? Why?

During Hellelujah - because supposedly the first time King George heard it performed he stood.  No one knows why though - some say its because its about Christ so it was out of respect, while some say its because he thought it was intermission and he had to pee, but either way, when the King stands, everyone stands.  And so it became a tradition to stand.  Prior to that story though, no one stood.

As for the anthem or pledge, I think its just a respect thing, much like standing to greet someone, or standing attention, etc - its just more formal to stand.

[Mental Magpie]

Definately change your password.  Make it very complicated.  Make it so complicated you have to write it on scrap paper and hide it under your monitor.  If you are feeling ambitious change the passwords for all of your accounts.

Do not write it down and store it under your monitor; that's a good way for it to get hacked if anyone breaks into your house.

One of the best ways to create a complicated password is to choose a phrase and make it a password.

"Sally saw seashells by the seashore" could be "Sscsbtsc"; substitute phonetic spellings to make it more complicated (like I did the the Cs) or numbers if you can remember the connection.

Yes, definitely change your passwords.

[Luci]

We have about 8 different passwords, then we hear the advice not to use the same one for everything, and sometimes a password won't be accepted because it doesn't meet the criteria the site has set up. I have 53 passworded accounts - credit cards, teachers' union, financial institutions, magazines, etc. No way could I remember which goes with which.

I have a method to print them on a spreadsheet with the numbers coded, and I want my kids to be sure to be able to get into my accounts when the time comes.

I know there is a program called Onepassword, but I don't know if I can trust it.

How do others keep track of all this stuff?

[amandaelizabeth]

Wallet from the itunes store.

[Betelnut]

We have about 8 different passwords, then we hear the advice not to use the same one for everything, and sometimes a password won't be accepted because it doesn't meet the criteria the site has set up. I have 53 passworded accounts - credit cards, teachers' union, financial institutions, magazines, etc. No way could I remember which goes with which.

I have a method to print them on a spreadsheet with the numbers coded, and I want my kids to be sure to be able to get into my accounts when the time comes.

I know there is a program called Onepassword, but I don't know if I can trust it.

How do others keep track of all this stuff?

I use an Excel spreadsheet.  But, I'll admit, I use the same 2-3 passwords in various forms so I'm not very safe.

[clio917]

So based on the number of bounce backs in my in-box, plus my copy for each of my email addresses, because I'm in my address book, I think one of my yahoo accounts sent out a spam today.   I was able to get into my account, so it's not completely hijacked. 

Is there anything I need to do? Should I change my password?

Email seemed to be a link, that I was not willing to try, even with my cat killing curiousity level.  I guess I should be happy I'm not destitute in a foreign country, or needing emergency medical care (as seen in the scam thread...)

Change your password, and also go to your Yahoo account info (mouse over your name in the top right when you are logged into your mail), click on View Recent Sign-in Activity to see if there is anything weird there (like you signed in from China when you live in St. Louis...).

Then go back to the account info and click on Manage Apps and Website Connections. When my Yahoo mail was hacked, they managed to get in through some security flaw in a mobile email app, so if you have anything strange in your list of app permissions, delete them.

[Tea Drinker]

If the system will allow long passwords without special characters, there's the xkcd method of picking a password, which is to run together four English words, such as "correcthorsebatterystaple" and make up a little story connecting them. (http://xkcd.com/936/) This kind of password is actually harder password cracking software to find randomly, than the 8-12 characters with numbers or random punctuation would be. (The difficulty of guessing is the number of characters times the possible number of choices for each, and you have the advantage that the password cracking program doesn't know you've done something xkcd-style, so it has to try all the things with numbers and capital letters and percent signs too.)

[Elfmama]

We have about 8 different passwords, then we hear the advice not to use the same one for everything, and sometimes a password won't be accepted because it doesn't meet the criteria the site has set up. I have 53 passworded accounts - credit cards, teachers' union, financial institutions, magazines, etc. No way could I remember which goes with which.

I have a method to print them on a spreadsheet with the numbers coded, and I want my kids to be sure to be able to get into my accounts when the time comes.

I know there is a program called Onepassword, but I don't know if I can trust it.

How do others keep track of all this stuff?

I have a text file on my computer marked "passwords."  Clever, no?   It has its own unique password, completely unrelated to anything else: it's a historical event and a date related to that event.  If some hacker gets into that, the passwords inside are coded; "household name" or "M*R*4877" mean something to me or to DH, but not to anyone outside the family. 

[Bluenomi]

Uni trained me well for passwords. You were given a password for the IT nextwork that couldn't be changed and was comprised of 6 random letters. I still use those letter with different variations (swap them around, add letters or numbers) Very handy!

[JoW]

Definately change your password.  Make it very complicated.  Make it so complicated you have to write it on scrap paper and hide it under your monitor.  If you are feeling ambitious change the passwords for all of your accounts.

Do not write it down and store it under your monitor; that's a good way for it to get hacked if anyone breaks into your house.

.........

I didn't think of your house being broken into. 

You could write it on paper and store it in a more secure location.  I once saw a female police officer on TV suggesting you store valuables in a box of lady product under the bathroom sink.  According to her most thieves are men and most men won't look there.  Or maybe in the freezer because no one keeps paper in the freezer.   

[Softly Spoken]

Definately change your password.  Make it very complicated.  Make it so complicated you have to write it on scrap paper and hide it under your monitor.  If you are feeling ambitious change the passwords for all of your accounts.

Do not write it down and store it under your monitor; that's a good way for it to get hacked if anyone breaks into your house.

.........

I didn't think of your house being broken into. 

You could write it on paper and store it in a more secure location.  I once saw a female police officer on TV suggesting you store valuables in a box of lady product under the bathroom sink.  According to her most thieves are men and most men won't look there. Or maybe in the freezer because no one keeps paper in the freezer.   

The bolded above actually inspires a stupid question I've often thought to myself when watching television - how productive are security advisories like this? Not the advice itself, but the fact that it is given on television - which I'm sure quite a few criminal types own or at least have access to.

If Mrs. Smith starts hiding her money in the 'feminine hygiene' box under the sink because "I saw it on CSI"  , what's to stop Barry the Burglar from checking that box because he saw the same episode?

[Iris]

Definately change your password.  Make it very complicated.  Make it so complicated you have to write it on scrap paper and hide it under your monitor.  If you are feeling ambitious change the passwords for all of your accounts.

Do not write it down and store it under your monitor; that's a good way for it to get hacked if anyone breaks into your house.

.........

I didn't think of your house being broken into. 

You could write it on paper and store it in a more secure location.  I once saw a female police officer on TV suggesting you store valuables in a box of lady product under the bathroom sink.  According to her most thieves are men and most men won't look there. Or maybe in the freezer because no one keeps paper in the freezer.   

The bolded above actually inspires a stupid question I've often thought to myself when watching television - how productive are security advisories like this? Not the advice itself, but the fact that it is given on television - which I'm sure quite a few criminal types own or at least have access to.

If Mrs. Smith starts hiding her money in the 'feminine hygiene' box under the sink because "I saw it on CSI"  , what's to stop Barry the Burglar from checking that box because he saw the same episode?

Well, I think it comes down to practicality. Many thieves are just after some quick cash and are going to snatch things that are obviously of value and putting something in an out of the way place will work. Sheer probability would suggest that out of all of the possible hiding places recommended by all of the shows on telly you'd have to be pretty unlucky to have much crossover.

OTOH I had a friend whose parents were hit by professional thieves (at least that what the police told them had happened) who picked a time when they were away and went through the *whole house* - emptied out canisters in the kitchen, went through every drawer, the whole 9 yards. That was about 30 years ago so no CSI then!

[ladyknight1]

One of my closest friends was burglarized two years ago. The burglar stole her work-issued laptop, her jar of coins, some of her underwear, their xbox, and various DVD's. He smashed through their sliding glass door to gain entrance. He also spread the remaining underwear throughout the house.

He was never caught and the laptop never recovered.