Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Regarding login

Sep 9, 2011 11:51AM PDT

What is the purpose of login if I am logging onto an insecure site???
Is it really me or a figment of someones hacking?

It seems to me that logging into an insecure site is basically no login at all.
Why would I want to keep placing a password here. It may have already been compromised. So the next time u see me, maybe u don't really see ME.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Many forums
Sep 10, 2011 6:51AM PDT

Many forums accept non-secure logins so it is not uncommon.

These are "Public" forums and do not hold private or personal information other than what is viewable in a member's profile, and that is viewable to all, whether members or not.

Using a STRONG password helps with your own security.

Examples of Weak passwords;

1234
ABCD
Telephone number
Any Date's of Birth.
Any Pets.
Any ATM card pin number
Any password less than 8 characters long.
Any password more than 8 characters long that do not mix alphanumericals with other ASCII characters like $%^&*

Example of STRONG passwords;

J9Sckf*b72%jdiol0^GwB34 - But that's my own so I can't share it, Devil


You ask, "Why would I want to keep placing a password here". If you are unhappy with this then we can, at your request, delete your account.

Mark

- Collapse -
Answer
Now try to login as me.
Sep 10, 2011 7:27AM PDT

You don't know my email address (I suppose) and you certainly don't know the password I use on this site. So for the moment I feel quite secure.

Kees

- Collapse -
Answer
Security tailored to protect the contents...
Sep 10, 2011 9:03AM PDT

Ideally, every website would use SSL all the time. However, such increases financial costs, performance requirements, and development requirements. For sites that do not have a specific need for end-to-end security designed to thwart eaves-droppers (sites that do not deal with banking and other high-value info), those are unnecessary concessions that would offer little to no real benefit to users like us.

What is the benefit of a password on a non-secure site? The same as a lock on your front door - protect your home from casual attackers. Someone could break a window or pick the lock, but chances are you don't need steel walls and armed guards like a bank.

John