Banks and other sites like to ask you “security questions” to verify your identity when you log in. You must provide the same answer as you did when you registered your account or when you last updated your security questions. That’s supposed to verify that the person attempting to log in is really you.
As we discussed yesterday, the security solutions often relied upon to protect us often fail to do their job. That is the case with these security questions. They may keep out an amateur. But a skilled account cracker can probably still get in. And, if you don’t remember your answers, you might not be able to get into your account yourself.
There are ways to improve upon the way these questions work, to make them more effective. We talk about that in today’s extended tip.
The most important part of today’s “tip” is that ALL solutions have flaws.
We should not trust solutions to keep us safe. They can be effective as part of the solution. But if we rely on them and then believe we are now safe, we’re wrong.
Apply Good Solutions, But Remain Vigilant!