3 ms·

Well, has anybody thought that both decisions are right? I mean, sometimes you _really_ are alone, with nobody shoulder surfing, and password masking is damned

Well, has anybody thought that both decisions are right? I mean, sometimes you _really_ are alone, with nobody shoulder surfing, and password masking is damned annoying. So, why not a check-box to turn masking off? And for the paranoid/security conscious, we can default mask on. Think: "Middle Path".

inerte 17y ago
So, every time I type my password I should check that nobody is behind me? Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. "Mask-on by default" means no regular user will ever uncheck. I think you greatly overstimate people's security knowledge, not to mention UI.
- TheAmazingIdiot 17y ago
  Then perhaps you need to re-read what I said. By default, the masking would be enabled. All you see are "*". If however, you have some nasty password and you are in a safe location, you can do_action and turn off stars to "12345".
  - inerte 17y ago
    No regular user would ever turn the masking off. They simply don't click on these additional options. Heck, they don't even understand why it's there. Can you explain what's the checkbox's purpose? Why and when should it be turned off? As a security expert, you should provide what's more secure, even if that means recognizing the users are too dumb to follow your rules.
    - staunch 17y ago
      You're basing your opinion on no data, I presume? I'd bet that some users absolutely would turn off the masking, if you made it easy/clear enough.
      - timcederman 17y ago
        Really? If they're attentive enough to turn off masking, why wouldn't they just enter their password into notepad and then copy/paste?
        huhtenberg 17y ago
        Because it's less convenient.
      - inerte 17y ago
        And what data do you have? I don't have statistics favouring a checkbox password masking option neither. We're into untested territory thinking here, and I don't believe calling for statistics will disprove anyone. In the absence of hard numbers, I take your challenge. staunch, I bet you $25 (via PayPal) that two users will not uncheck password masking off, when presented with an explanation what it's for, without looking either to the left, right or behind before typing the password.
        staunch 17y ago
        I think the percentage will come down to demographics, the kind of site, the copy, and ten other variables. My wild guess is that it will be 5%+ without trying hard. I'll probably try this on one of my sites (I've tried no masking before). Maybe I'll blog it. You can keep your $25.
    - kailashbadu 17y ago
      No regular user would ever turn the masking off So what is the harm there? Even if a user could not figure out (oddly) what the checkbox does, he'll continue to get the password field to behave in the way he is accustomed to. Surely, people will have trouble figure out the purpose of the checkbox in the beginning. But that's how things tend to be when you run into something for the first time. It takes some time before a style becomes standard.

inerte 17y ago

So, every time I type my password I should check that nobody is behind me? Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. Look to the right, look to the left, look behind, type one key. "Mask-on by default" means no regular user will ever uncheck. I think you greatly overstimate people's security knowledge, not to mention UI.

TheAmazingIdiot 17y ago
Then perhaps you need to re-read what I said. By default, the masking would be enabled. All you see are "*". If however, you have some nasty password and you are in a safe location, you can do_action and turn off stars to "12345".
- inerte 17y ago
  No regular user would ever turn the masking off. They simply don't click on these additional options. Heck, they don't even understand why it's there. Can you explain what's the checkbox's purpose? Why and when should it be turned off? As a security expert, you should provide what's more secure, even if that means recognizing the users are too dumb to follow your rules.
  - staunch 17y ago
    You're basing your opinion on no data, I presume? I'd bet that some users absolutely would turn off the masking, if you made it easy/clear enough.
    - timcederman 17y ago
      Really? If they're attentive enough to turn off masking, why wouldn't they just enter their password into notepad and then copy/paste?
      - huhtenberg 17y ago
        Because it's less convenient.
    - inerte 17y ago
      And what data do you have? I don't have statistics favouring a checkbox password masking option neither. We're into untested territory thinking here, and I don't believe calling for statistics will disprove anyone. In the absence of hard numbers, I take your challenge. staunch, I bet you $25 (via PayPal) that two users will not uncheck password masking off, when presented with an explanation what it's for, without looking either to the left, right or behind before typing the password.
      - staunch 17y ago
        I think the percentage will come down to demographics, the kind of site, the copy, and ten other variables. My wild guess is that it will be 5%+ without trying hard. I'll probably try this on one of my sites (I've tried no masking before). Maybe I'll blog it. You can keep your $25.
  - kailashbadu 17y ago
    No regular user would ever turn the masking off So what is the harm there? Even if a user could not figure out (oddly) what the checkbox does, he'll continue to get the password field to behave in the way he is accustomed to. Surely, people will have trouble figure out the purpose of the checkbox in the beginning. But that's how things tend to be when you run into something for the first time. It takes some time before a style becomes standard.