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4/22/08

PC World - Internet Security: Sites' Personal Questions May Pose Security Risk - by Paul F.Roberts


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Internet Security: Sites' Personal Questions May Pose Security Risk - by Paul F.Roberts

What did your maternal grandfather do for a living? What was your high school mascot's name? Your first pet's name? Online businesses everywhere have embraced the technique, which is called knowledge-based authentication. Theoretically, the answers to these questions are so personal and obscure that knowing them proves you are you. Experts say, however, that the technology could end up helping hackers compromise your online accounts more easily. Scammers have adapted, adding secret questions to their decoy pages, says Lance James, CTO of fraud research company Secure Science. Bank phishing sites may include their own fraudulent drop-down lists that capture people's answers, which bad guys can then use to hack real accounts.

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