Do we really need Passwords, User ID's and User Names? Part Two

In our first month we had 1000 pageviews.  In the following  four  months we are now over 45,000 pageviews.  Thank you for making "Notes by Blue" one of the fastest growing blogs.  I appreciate your support!

I also want to thank all those that wrote me or commented on Part One of Passwords, User ID's and User Names.  Overwhelmingly, I seem to have hit on a subject that many feel the same way about Passwords, User ID’s and Names.  It has become a necessary technology evil.

Some use the same password or variant throughout their secure life.  Others carry a sheet with all the various information, while still others store them in an application on their phone, tablet or computer and need to only remember one user ID and password.

 

Whatever method you may use as I mentioned earlier, we have to keep too many passwords, user ID’s or user names to survive on the internet.  There needs to be a better way.  I think one of the more interesting password combinations I found is one a friend uses is: Idontknow and when it had to be changed they changed it to Istilldontknow.

 

Remember when business was done with a hand shake?  Do you recall, or even ask your mother or father, that there was a time when there weren’t forms, more forms and forms for the forms to go along with the passwords, user ID’s and user names and various codes.  Unfortunately today, we must always protect ourselves from law suits, theft and deceit today.  

About twenty-five years ago the internet didn’t play a part in our business or personal life at all.  Today, it has become the backbone of our life.  Not having internet service, unthinkable?  What has the world become?

Let’s not forget video surveillance, similar to the novel published in 1949, George Orwell’s  “1984,” there are camera’s nearly everywhere we go.  You would think it would deter crime, yeah right.  Very few get away with anything forever.  Eventually, most people get caught.  But, sometimes they don’t.  And each idiot thinks’ they can be the one to get away with it.

It comes down to, whom do you trust and how much do you trust them with? A lot of people trusted Bernie Maddoff and looked what happened.  A lot of people put trust in our Congress and Senate and look what it got us.  If we have a difficult time trusting, as we must now, then we must find a better protect ourselves, something we can trust for accuracy. That brings us to Passwords, User ID’s and User Names…..

  

It has become apparent why we have codes and passwords to protect us, but, there needs to be better alternatives and there are.  Let’s look at a few.

There is technology that uses finger or palm prints, and others that have eye identification, still others with facial identification.  These technologies will need to become affordable and much more accurate.  Eventually these technologies will reach perfection, are more accurate and can’t be duplicated or manipulated.  A universal identification standard program.

 

Most importantly in my case, we wouldn’t have to remember codes, passwords, user ID or name ever again.  Most states, like here in Georgia, require a thumb print on your driver’s license so it’s nothing new to allow the government to have this information.

I hope that everything will, one day, go to a swipe of my finger for my finger print or stare into here for your eye print.  We would then set a standard throughout the country.  Any time you need to use a password and user name or ID, you just swipe your finger or palm or look into the camera or stare at this for your eye scan.  

It could be attached to your computer as it’s the safest way to keep your computer only for you.  It could be used along with credit cards or even replace credit cards, where the charge would still be sent to them but only after a scan.  All you need in your wallet is your driver’s license, insurance identification with a required scan, and cash.  Unfortunately, cash will always remain the hardest one to actually keep in your wallet.

If someone had a ski mask on or gloves, they aren’t getting through the security.  Halloween, though, could be tricky.  It would protect your credit card that was stolen and save the banks, and credit companies millions which could be passed onto the consumers.  But you know they will then have a fee for each time you are scanned.  LOL

Here’s an idea:  Maybe Mr. Obama could invest our money in this technology for the good of the country and make every company provide one of these alternatives for their clients.  It sure would make me happy!  How about you?  You have to admit, it would be a better investment than the green initiative company, Solyndra, loan turned out when they went bankrupt after our politician’s loaned the company $750,000,000 of our money!

It would save billions from those stealing Social Security Checks, Welfare, and Disability checks. As this is very common and it’s robbing those that need it the most.  What if there was a kiosk in every grocery store (we all have to get food sometime) and it would print your check after you were scanned?

 

Today, most everyone has access to a computer via the library, friends, or senior’s park district centers, etc.  If you are bed ridden, or in a hospital, this would not be a problem as hospitals and doctors could use them to insure each patient gets the correct dosage of their medicines and insure the person is who they say they are. No more "pill shopping" for patients trying to feed an addiction, because they will be scanned.

 A scanner comes with every computer as part of the computer or a scanner, with a connection to the internet, could be used to confirm that you are getting your check which will be then credited to your account which will also require a finger, palm or face electronic ID to access.

 

It would save on postage and paper as well as government checks will no longer required to be mailed and those that are direct deposited, they bank would require a scan to get your money. 

Those living in government subsidized housing, on Welfare or receiving Food Stamps, will get access to their money, right after they take the drug test for illicit drugs. The idea being, it is not the intent of any of these programs to be forever, the money is intended for food, clothing, and housing.  Not much else, especially not harmful illegal or abusing legal addicting drugs.

So here we are over 60 years since George Orwell’s 1949 novel as he was a little early for its time and interesting how similar as it is today and as in his “1984”. Almost frightening how similar.

I am sure the cost would be much less than what our country loaned to the wonderful bankers and automobile companies in the recent bailouts or the subsidizing “green initiatives” companies that went bankrupt or “shovel ready” projects that haven’t begun yet.  

Funding could come from all the monies that were set aside a few years ago, that still haven’t been spent on the projects that were to create jobs and help the economy.  This would create jobs, promote technology and make our money and personal information more secure.  It might even find some people that were able to get away with something illegal years ago.

The possibilities are endless.  Airports, train stations, starting your vehicle......  What do you think?

See you soon in the next installment of Notes By Blue.

Please follow me on Twitter @slblue. If you have a moment, I would love to hear from you, either add a comment in the section below or send me an email to: steveblue22@gmail.com Please be sure to forward the blog to your co-workers, family and friends.

Do we really need all the Passwords, User ID’s, User Names? Part One

Passwords, User ID’s, User Names…..These are all necessary evils of the internet.  No matter where you go online, you need to have these to exist on the Internet.  From the moment you sign on to your computer in the morning till you turn if off at night.  What is confusing is to me is the more of these I have to know, the more I mix-up what each password is for which user name and for what application.

Some you need a number in it, some you need a Capital letter.  Some will let you use symbols while others won’t.  There are some passwords that won’t allow you to use anything that is close to your name while others require a number in the middle.  And where do most people keep this secure information?  My guess, is on their phone, the most lost or damaged item since another security item was invented, keys.  Security is actually synonymous with lost and forgotten.

I would not be surprised if one day to get into your ATM you will need to do the following:  hopping up and down on one foot, pull your left ear lobe while spinning clockwise and singing your high school “fight song.”  Well, maybe not.  But it sure would be funny to watch.

I started a new job less than a month ago (which is why I haven't blogged in a while) and the first information I received from my new company were the user ID’s and passwords for my laptop, for the VPN, for the intra-company web site, for the company’s mainframe computer, and of course for my new company email.  Five new separate ID’s and five new unique passwords.  I don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let alone all these new security ID’s and passwords.  To make things worse, I am required to change the passwords every ninety days!  This is all in the name of our company’s security.

While it is important to keep company information secure from hackers, it has become apparently difficult to keep secure all the information we have at our fingertips.  While it’s great to have access to all this information, I find it sometimes more challenging to remember all the User ID’s, User names or Passwords than the information I actually need. 

Apple even has an “App” that will keep all your User ID’s, User Names and Passwords in one secure App.  Of course you need a master User Name and Password to get to this information.  In essence, you need a User Name and Password for your User Names and Passwords.  Does that seem a bit redundant? 

Nothing I have, behind all the security, is that interesting in the first place. They won’t get much, if they did break into my checking account, actually it wouldn’t be worth all the trouble to take the time to try to steal my identity.

Soon we may all need a user name and password to go to the bathroom.  Maybe “they” will keep count how many times you relieve yourself during the course of the day.  Now there’s real important interesting information.  Those of you who have read this blog may remember the “key to the men’s room” in “Things that confuse me, Part One”.  Same idea I guess.

 

With the major banks paying you virtually no interest on your accounts and now attempting to charge you a monthly fee to use your ATM to get to your own money.  Fortunately, the consumers actually bonded together and virtually stopped this charge as the banks will need to get creative.  But, have no fear, I believe the banks will get creative and will find a way to keep their stockholders happy at our expense.

I am thinking about going back to a banking method used in the old days.  CASH, remember that paper stuff with pictures of dead president’s on them?  I may just stick my money in my mattress or in a hidden hole in one of my home’s walls.  It might be the most efficient way to keep my money.  At least I won’t need a User ID or Password to get to it and I won’t pay any fees to get to it. 

No need to speak to a teller or to use one of those chat things you do on line with “Bob” or “Sue,” which you know is a false name.  In this way you won't know that they are really in India or somewhere else where labor is inexpensive.  Having to answer security questions with "Bob" or "Sue" is also a bit concerning.

We have a security nearly everywhere we go.  We have a security system on our home, of course with a password.  A password to open the garage door, and as you can see, we can’t escape the process.  It’s almost everywhere in our life. 

Am I the only one that feels this way?  On Friday, I will share with you one  way we could put American’s back to work, invest in our country’s security for years to come and never have to remember a password, user ID or user name ever again. 

See you Friday for more of Notes by Blue.

Please follow me on Twitter @slblue. If you have a moment, I would love to hear from you, either add a comment in the section below or send me an email to: steveblue22@gmail.com Please be sure to forward the blog to your co-workers, family and friends.