The A to Z of security

Passwords

Passwords cause problems. From the IT department headache that is password management - and the many man-hours devoted to carrying out password resets for forgetful users - to plain old human laziness in using the same password for a range of logins, or even using 'password' as a password, passwords are only as good as their all-too-human owners - and even then a hacker using a keylogger, say, can make off with their secret.

Security from A to Z

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A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

In business, the debate about how to encourage password best practice oscillates between teaching users to be 'creative' in making passwords that are adequately complex, to telling users to write down passwords somewhere secure or to use password management software so they don't resort to choosing easy words or using the same password for several logins.

But this is fighting a losing battle, say some.

Back in May, Gartner research VP Jay Heiser said passwords are "fatally flawed" and can't stand up to "motivated attackers". The drive to develop new ways of authenticating users - such as two-factor authentication or human biometrics - is in part fuelled by awareness of the weakness of systems built on crackable password security.

A recent silicon.com leader predicted passwords will be replaced with biometrics or other technology in the long term. Just how long remains to be seen.