Security questions....

[flick]

Apple just made me answer three out of five security questions, for my iTunes account.

I really hope that I never need them: I didn't actually know the answer to more than two of them, and it wouldn't let me put the same answer in for all of them....

Comments

[redbird]

I have some where I have just put the same random thing (not just from question to question, but site to site). The post office recently demanded several for me to set up an account for their click-and-ship system (use your computer to pay for shipping packages, and print your own label; saves a few cents and possibly time). I didn't want to give them my mother's maiden name, so I have written down what I told it my favorite food is. (Of course, ideally I would be keeping the passwords and the security questions in different places, but I'm not nearly that organized.)

[flick]

I'm afraid I'm terribly insecure and use the same answer to all of the questions, whether it makes sense or not. But sadly I couldn't do so in this case, so I'm probably doomed.

[redbird]

I have used the same few questions and valid answers in a lot of places, sometimes dropping back to pretending it's "What is your favorite color?" when there are too many that don't apply. (I can see why American companies think "favorite sports team" and "first car you owned" are generally applicable questions—though for people who really have a favorite sports team, that's not at all secret—but I don't have a favorite sports team and have never owned a car. I also don't have a favorite cartoon character.

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

I hate it when they ask questions that are too vague or can be answered multiple ways, e.g. who was your best friend as a child? Do you mean before or after I fell out with Bob Smith at age twelve and three quarters?

[flickgc.livejournal.com]

The one I really hate is "what was the name of your first teacher?" I don't know, I was four and I've had a lot since then!

[dalmeny]

I had similar problems with Apple's questions. For example, I remember the name of my first teacher but might not be able to spell it consistently as it is Gaelic.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Such ambiguity pretty much true of all my likely answers. Was my first school Hutchie, Hutchesons or Hurchesons Girls Grammar School? Was I born in Barrow or Barrow-in-Furness? is my mother's first name Henrietta or Penny? You can see why I stick to mother's maiden name even if is the most easily scammed. (And we didn;t have pets!)

[dalmeny]

[Irrelevant to the thread, but wanted to say my dad got a half-scholarship to Hutchesons in high school and then was able to become the first person in my family to attend university. I grew up reading his old science books, some of which were school prizes and had award plaques at the front.

Scotland: small country.]

[darth-tigger.livejournal.com]

Surely your first teacher was called "Miss" (or possibly "Sir")?

[flickgc.livejournal.com]

Heh, yes, good point!

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

What is your favorite book / movie?

You mean, today?

[dalmeny]

Yes, those are particularly ludicrous. Might as well ask what you had for lunch.

[nils.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wasn't impressed with their choice of questions. I managed to pick a question I think I can replicate the answer to for each of the three, but it wasn't easy.

[darth-tigger.livejournal.com]

Some banks (like First Direct) let you pick your own questions. Lucy Porter has a brilliant take on this:

I went to the bank and they told me I needed a security question for telephone banking. I asked if there was a list to choose from and they said no, I could pick any question. So now it's great, whenever I call the bank the person on the other end has to ask me "You're not going out dressed like that are you?" and I reply "You can't tell me what to do, you're not my real dad!"

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Oh that's fabulous!

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

Quite. I am furious with it. What was my first car? Well, what part of the car? The colour, the reg, the model? And was the first one the one I shared with a boyfriend that he already owned when we got together, or the first one we bought together, or the first one I bought off him when we split up, or the one I bought for myself directly just a couple of years ago? And every single question was ambiguous like that to the point of me being unlikely to give the correct answer on two consecutive weeks.

[shuripentu.livejournal.com]

I recommend using a secure password management system, which allows you to choose security answers that are at least as strong as the password they can be used as a substitute for, without having to remember them yourself. :)

[flickgc.livejournal.com]

I suppose I could do that, but I find 1password to be very fiddly on the phone, is the trouble.