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Congressman's phone password is 111111

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Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#81
post #10

I tell this story a lot. But I think in the time of smartphones and such it also represents the only real secure site I thought was truly secure from what I knew of it. This was before smartphones were common, but I think it was ahead of its time in that way. I worked for a company that occasionally would service some of our hardware onsite. One customer was a company that did a lot of work for the military and they…

The boindfolds seem like extra work, I would just get a SUV and totally black out the rear, or well, put in some seats in the rear of a delivery van. But I guess the boindfolds also had a psychological effect of "we mean business".

A blindfold allows someone to be in close proximity to the person while also retain g visibility and communication with that person and other people (e.g. the driver).

If you lack out a special cabi area for a vehicle, either you are leaving them to their own devices in that area, or limiting the senses of your own staff you put in to watch them.

Finally, it's just a lot more expensive and cumbersome to have a large piece of machinery like that, and more likely to fail. What happens if the engine fails? Do you need a spare now? Using a blindfold as backup means that a blindfold is sufficient, so just use it and any vehicle now works.

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#82
post #41

I don't lock my phone at all. Never have. However, with the new iPhones that don't have a home button, I believe that Apple is forcing you to either use face unlock or a passcode. There is no choice to just leave it unlocked. So, as soon as my iPhone 6s stops working, I will have to choose to: 1) Give in and use my face to unlock. 2) Use a dumb passcode like 000000. 3) Upgrade to the newest iPhone that still has a ho…

I think your point may be that he doesn't have anything private on the phone to worry about or anything that needs to be kept secure? I think the argument hidden in the headline here is that since this is a device owned by a congressman, and allowed inside this particular meeting, it has information on it that may be confidential, and therefore needs a much stronger password. My phone has access to my email, phone nu…

Nobody in my contacts has given me non-public contact info such as secret phone numbers, email addresses or other such info.

I don't manage other peoples accounts from my phone.

My passwords are stored in an encrypted file, accessible only by entering my pin.

My email app has a pin lock.

I don't use the browser to login to any important sites like banking sites.

If you get my phone, the most you can do is order something for me on Amazon (it will be shipped to me, else you have to enter your own credit card) or you can mess with my GitHub content.

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a reason why the numbers aren't scrambled? This way you at least wouldn't be able to tell the password unless you saw the actual numbers.

Imagine how inconvenient that would be i.e. how much "phone engagement" would take a hit.

It can be an opt in setting. But you can make this argument about having a password in the first place.

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#85
post #11

111111 is perfectly acceptable for a phone password. His password was just broadcast to the entire world; at least using 111111 means that he doesn't have any illusions about how secure it is. Phone passwords are for protecting things from your family.

>Phone passwords are for protecting things from your family.

That's a bit of a sad, unusual sentiment

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#86

I don't lock my phone at all. Never have. However, with the new iPhones that don't have a home button, I believe that Apple is forcing you to either use face unlock or a passcode. There is no choice to just leave it unlocked. So, as soon as my iPhone 6s stops working, I will have to choose to: 1) Give in and use my face to unlock. 2) Use a dumb passcode like 000000. 3) Upgrade to the newest iPhone that still has a ho…

How do all the people you communicate with via email, text, etc., feel about their contact information and messages with you being so easily accessible? Securing your devices isn't just about you...

They're absolutely fine with it. Contact information isn't secret.

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#87

The problem isn't the password or the camera that captured it. The problem is that the phone required a password in that scenario-- same user, phone never left his vicinity, probably not a long interval between uses. Being more selective about when to require a master password is a better protection model IMHO.

Considering the better protection model doesn't exist yet, and the password is the best option we have, the password is the problem.

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#88
post #78

And yesterday over a dozen members of Congress barged into one of the Congressional versions of this site without authorization and while recording video, audio, and taking photos on their personal smartphones. Here is a Twitter thread about why that is such a problem: https://twitter.com/MiekeEoyang/status/1187032800572125191

[flagged]

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#89
post #78

And yesterday over a dozen members of Congress barged into one of the Congressional versions of this site without authorization and while recording video, audio, and taking photos on their personal smartphones. Here is a Twitter thread about why that is such a problem: https://twitter.com/MiekeEoyang/status/1187032800572125191

[flagged]

Necessary?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/23/heres-why...

> In other words, 1 out of every 4 Republicans in the House can participate in the inquiry hearings anyway. That doesn’t include Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is also allowed to participate. It does include Rep. Greg Pence (R-Ind.), the brother of the vice president. He sits on the Foreign Affairs committee.

> According to a news release sent from Gaetz’s office that was spotted by journalist Marcy Wheeler, 41 Republicans joined Gaetz’s sit-in protest Wednesday. Of that group, more than a quarter — 13 — were members of the three relevant committees and, therefore, allowed to attend the hearings!

Re: Congressman's phone password is 111111

#90

I always thought that Android's 3x3 dot pattern draw password thing was superior against these type of over the shoulder attack, as long as you turn off the tracing effect. Without tracing and if you do it quickly, it just looks like you’re dragging your thumb randomly all over the phone.

Somehow I doubt this in practice still though.. my wife turned hers on, and it's the most obvious pattern you would think of.

And honestly I set it to the same, just because it's the most convenient to use. If I make a convoluted pattern I won't be able to do it as easily.

So still same old crap.. we tend to go to thinks we can remember and easily do- and that is not the most secure.

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