Schneier on Security: The Problem with Password Masking(schneier.com)
schneier.com
Schneier on Security: The Problem with Password Masking
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/06/the_problem_wit_2.html
3 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.
Apple already does that for the wifi password and I really like it.