Schneier on Security: The Problem with Password Masking

schneier.com

8 pointsfossguy3 comments

Whatever gets him more attention. Yeah, nobody shoulder surfs. But when someone writes a research paper about sniffing keystrokes with lasers, or screen radiation, or whatever, he's happy to write that up as important news. Lasers: yes. Cameras: not so much. Got it.

There is a point in the article though, that it's easier to have a longer password if you can make sure you spell it right. And putting in a "toggle password visible" option is so easy that there's no excuse for not doing it. Customer support will like it, if nothing else.

I often wish I had a toggle password visible option when it's late at night and I'm tired... As long as it's masked per default and I can unmask it when I'm sure it's not an important password and/or no one could see it I think it really makes sense.

Apple already does that for the wifi password and I really like it.

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