The wrong kind of secret question to ask

Most websites will ask you to choose from a set of secret questions to answer when you set up an account. If you ever need your password reset or get locked out, most of the time it’s a cut-and-dried process where you answer that specific question, type in a CAPTCHA scrambled-text phrase to verify you are a real human, and then change the password for the website to whatever you want.

Easy enough, right?

Don’t ever pick your high school name as the secret answer.

Here’s why – all someone has to do to reset a password of yours with the high school name as the answer is to search Facebook. 99% of the time, everyone’s high school information is in their public profile.

I’ve tested it. It works.

A good practice is to choose your own personal question if a website gives you that option. That adds just a little more security to your website activities and keeps you just a hair ahead of the bad guys.

Lost in translation

Lost in translation

Lost in translation

True story.

Me: “Hi. I noticed the sign on the side of your building has said family jiz suite for about a month now.”

Super8: “Yes! Would you like to sign up for one?”

Me: “Uh… for a jiz suite?”

Super8: “Yes! A family jacuzzi suite!”

Me: “Jiz is an abbreviation for jacuzzi? Are you sure?”

Super8: “Yes! Jiz is jacuzzi!”

Me: “I see. Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

Lost in translation. Big time.