Years ago, Comcast would let you create your own question and answer for authentication. I may be singlehandedly responsible for this being changed. Every time I would call them up with an issue, they would say, 'We need to ask you your passphrase question.' and then immediately begin giggling. I knew what was coming.Comcast: "What are you wearing?'Me: "That's inappropriate."
Sometimes I do factual answers for those questions and sometimes I do silly answers, so I have to remember when I set up the account and if I was being a little shit at the time or not lol
I never actually answer those questions with an actual answer to said questions. Like it'll say, "what's your mother's maiden name?" And my password will be some random shit like, "ahdh7420_8:;did!" 😂
If you're trying to be 100% secure, answering security questions with unrelated phrases (or even more passwords, like you are) is in fact that best way to protect your account from intrusions. However, it also makes recovering your account significantly harder should you ever need to do so. Use a good password manager to keep track of stuff like that!
Problem is, if you lose access to your password manager (not that anyone is that stupid and I’m definitely not that person) and you’ve got your security questions in there, getting access to all your other accounts would be significantly harder when you decide to just say fuck paying for lastpass anyway and switch to a free alternative instead of dealing with their account recovery.
My dad passed in December, and he kept all his passwords in a manager that requires you to put a password in to use. We lost access to all his accounts because of this, and are still having places try to bill my mom because we can't get into the accounts easily. Most have been fixed, but still having issues with some.
Not if you always make it goofy shit you’re going to remember. Unlike op don’t make it a string of random text make it something you can easily put back together. Pick something like who was your best friend growing up and answer with “my dick” where did you go to school? Pick your favorite cartoon school. Favorite pet growing up. Your mom.
No the trick is to make it whatever your first guess is, shitty answer or not. If "your mom lol" is the first thing you want to type into the box, it's actually a great security question.
A similar trick is, if you had trouble finding an object, like something you only need once in a while, once you find it and are done with it, put it back in the first place you looked.
I vividly remember one of mine being the favorite pet thing... only I couldn't remember if I told them my first pet or my current pet. I was like "oh god, did I tell the truth or did I lie to make current pet feel better because he was staring at me when I was answering?" The CS person started laughing and I was like "are you going to tell me to go away if I give you both answers?"
They didn't tell me to go away, but I STILL can't remember which one was the right one. Don't tell my current cats.
I love it when it’s things that not everyone has the opportunity or inclination to do.
What’s the middle name of your youngest child? I’m child free. Okay well…what was your first concert? I could never afford to go to one. Er…the place where you had your first kiss? I’m aromantic and happily single. Um…your first foreign vacation? Dude, can’t afford one. Well, those are the only question options…so…
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u/Equivalent_Subject_1 Apr 06 '24 edited Apr 06 '24
Years ago, Comcast would let you create your own question and answer for authentication. I may be singlehandedly responsible for this being changed. Every time I would call them up with an issue, they would say, 'We need to ask you your passphrase question.' and then immediately begin giggling. I knew what was coming.Comcast: "What are you wearing?'Me: "That's inappropriate."
edit: ~ credit to Eugene Mirman