Password Security Question Recommendations
Can these answers be found on your Facebook account, or other social media accounts? Things like, what city did you grow up in? What is your dog’s name? What is your favorite book? What was your first job? What is your mother’s maiden name?
It is risky to post this information on social media because of security questions. Security questions exist on pretty much every website that requires a username and password. So for instance, does something like this look familiar? It asks you first to enter in your birthday, then it asks you for your security questions, such as those just mentioned.
These are things that friends know, that family members know and that anyone who is a social media connection can likely find out. Typically, users are very honest when it comes to security questions. Whenever they ask for their pet’s name, they enter their pet’s name. Malicious parties can utilize your social media account to find the answers to these questions, which then allows then to reset your password.
This is especially a concern when people’s Facebook, Twitter or other accounts are public. Anyone can search the Internet, find your account, and then view the information on that account. The best practice is not not be honest when filling out these questions. Just threat the security questions as another password field. If it asks you for your pet’s name. Enter something completely unrelated. If it asks for your mother’s maiden name, do the same thing, enter something completed unrelated.
Now you do not have that security concern of giving strangers answers to these questions. Also check out our best practices to creating passwords.
Let me know if you agree with this recommendation.