For 350 Points: \"Why are passwords and other good information security technolo
ID: 3632704 • Letter: F
Question
For 350 Points:"Why are passwords and other good information security technologies compromised by the people who use them and what can we do to improve their contribution to information security?
Please state sources used.
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Information below pertains to the above question
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For this Module's case, you are to think about the role of passwords in maintaining information security. Although they are required in order to be able to do almost anything online, passwords are a particular problem in many cases, since they require people to do certain things they don't really want to. The password literature is pretty clear that people either don't follow the rules for passwords, or find ways around them. And it is often through compromising password protection systems that security breaches are made. In this case, as in many others, the technology works; it's just that people don't work the technology. But whose problem is this, really? It's easy to blame the people for not following the rules; but perhaps we should also consider the costs imposed by following the rules, and the reasons why those costs sometimes are seen to exceed the benefits.
Two good discussions of problems relating to passwords are the following:
Goldwasser, J., & Anderson, T. M. (2007). Passwords Pictures = Security? Kiplinger's Personal Finance, 61(6), 79-80. Available in Proquest through TUI virtual library or here http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1271784661&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Johnson, S. (2007, May 3). The link that binds us: ; Forgot your password? Chicago Tribune, pp. 1.Available in Proquest through TUI virtual library or here http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1264263501&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Johnson, S. (2007, May 3). The link that binds us: ; Forgot your password? Chicago Tribune, pp. 1. Available in Proquest through TUI virtual library or here
In addition, there is material in the background information bearing on these questions, and you may wish to do further research yourself by following up some of the links or other references.
Explanation / Answer
Passwords are required everywhere . Whether it is a password for an ATM or an email account or online financial transactions , it provides a security blanket for authorized people to access these systems . A combination of letters and numbers to login into a system is all that is takes to create a password . Birthday dates , anniversary dates , social security numbers etc . are some of the common considerations one makes while deciding on a password . Some people prefer using automated tools to generate passwords . The question is how safe and reliable are these passwords
in preventing unauthorized access . Security of a system is often compromised when people tend to leave their password either written on post-its on their monitors , store it in a cell phone or jot it down in notepad . This tendency to write down or store password to prevent forgetting , often exposes the system to unauthorized access and thus leads to unwanted intrusion
There are various reasons and factors responsible for compromise of security due to passwords . Some of the common errors people commit while deciding on a password is that they choose an easier way out . They create passwords which are easy to remember but also very easy to guess such as passwords based on personal information . Since these passwords are at a greater risk of being discovered another approach is to decide on a very difficult cryptic password . The disadvantages of these hard passwords is that they are tough on human memory .
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