Endless Amount Of Passwords

[Pioneer1]

A few weeks after doing my taxes, the state of Michigan sent me a letter telling me that they needed to "verify" my identify.

WTF???

After all of the verification I used to do the taxes in the first place, they STILL need more verification?

I go to the site they provided for me and a few questions turned into several.

Then they're asking you to "log in" using your Username and Password.
But when you "log in" you have to use an UPDATED password...not one that has expired because they apparently have an expiration date.
But all of that means nothing if you aren't first REGISTED to use the site, so now you gotta go back and do that.
When you register and log in they have MORE questions for you.

So I logs on to the website the state provided and they're asking MORE "security" question....some of which was hard to remember and others that have NOTHING to do with my taxes or the information I provided to the government.

Now this isn't just at the state of Michigan website for tax returns, but when it comes doctor's office sites, employment sites, insurance sites, city services sites, and other sites.

Some sites will tell you that they don't "recognize the device" you're accessing them from and you need to do more verification for that reason.
So they're monitoring the IP address on your computer or phone?

How many UserID's and Passwords can a human being possibly remember?
Especially in a complex society like we have today where we have to handle so much business online and by phone.

It seems to me that they are PURPOSELY making an almost endless amount of hoops for people to jump through just to get the help and service they need as a justification for NOT delivering it to them in the name of "identity theft" or "fraud".

And threatening people that if they don't answer all of the questions then they don't get their money or some other service they are entitled to get.

I can see having to do all of this extra work to get rich or generate wealth.
That's understandable in my opinion.

But having to jump through so many hoops just to get the SAME basic services you got 30 years ago with one phone call??
That doesn't sound like progress to me.

[ProfD]

It's the blessing and curse of using technology to conduct business.

 

Adding insult to injury, they tell us not to write down the passwords. Getting older doesn't increase memory.

 

Of course, I don't follow rules very well. I've got a digital cheat sheet. I also use a password manager which makes it easier to log into sites I use frequently. 

 

Setting up 45 user IDs and passwords would be annoying.

 

Creating a very strong password that can be used anywhere. Remembering one cryptic password is a bit  easier than managing several.

 

When asked to update the password in one spot, change it to the new password at the most frequently used sites.

 

Once they implant that chip in folks' fingertips, biometrics will eliminate the need for remembering passwords.

 

[Pioneer1]

8 minutes ago, ProfD said:

 

 

Once they implant that chip in folks' fingertips, biometrics will eliminate the need for remembering passwords.

 

What's going to happen is a lot of people are going to get their finger tips chopped off by ruthless thieves who won't let THAT stop them from getting that bag.
 

[Croocked T]

Right? It’s wild how tech is making everything more complicated. You’re basically jumping through hoops just to get basic services, all while being told to "protect your identity" with endless passwords. It’s like they’re setting you up to fail. And that biometric chip idea? Yeah, until thieves start treating it like a treasure hunt. Not sure if progress is the word for all this frustration.

[Pioneer1]

All of this forcing people to use passwords for different things MAY infact have the opposite effect!

When you're forced to have THAT many passwords just to perform normally and get your basic services, you start making ALL of your passwords the same so that you can easily remember it.

Most people aren't geniuses....they are of average intelligence and have OTHER things they need to focus on other than keeping a bunch of numbers and symbols and shit in their heads for security and verification's sake.
Who does that???
Unless you're a savant...nobody is going to file 50 fucking different passwords in their heads.
Not even an Engineer or math scientist.
If they need passwords for THOSE many sites and systems they're going to start narrowing them down to only one or two.

And I think that's probably what "they" want.
"They" know human nature and they know that most people will probably use the same one or two passwords for ALL of their different services and accounts; so if they can find out what that  ONE password is...they can hack ALL of a person's private accounts.

Cyber criminals are out there, but I personally believe a lot of it is fear mongering.
They're purposely trying to make things complicated as an excuse to deny services.

When I was a kid I used to hear older people complain about how much things have changed for the worse and how much better things were back in the "old days" and I used to laugh at it.  I'm not laughing at that now because I understand what they mean.
 

[ProfD]

11 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

When you're forced to have THAT many passwords just to perform normally and get your basic services, you start making ALL of your passwords the same so that you can easily remember it.

That strong password would be a combination of numbers, letters and characters and upper- and lowercase.

 

It's definitely a lot to remember but harder to hack and steal.

 

11 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

When I was a kid I used to hear older people complain about how much things have changed for the worse and how much better things were back in the "old days" and I used to laugh at it.  I'm not laughing at that now because I understand what they mean.

The question is how far back do we go....corded and pay phones, keeping birth certificates in a shoebox, writing checks, licking stamps, check cashing joints, etc.

 

It's not easy getting off the grid but not impossible.

 

Otherwise, if doing business using modern technology, minimize the number of passwords to remember...more than 1 but less than 5.

[Pioneer1]

ProfD

 

It's definitely a lot to remember but harder to hack and steal.
 

That's the thing I have a time trying to understand.

They can hack the fucking PENTAGON.
Every time you turn on the news you hear about the Pentagon or some government institution has been hacked, and they supposedly have some of the best cyber security.
So how can a password or PIN number keep the average citizen safe?
 

All of these passwords and security verifications is making an inconvenience in most cases.

I see the need for it to a CERTAIN EXTENT, but it's getting to be too much.

It's ONLINE....so if you're not seeing the person actually IN person you can ask a million questions and STILL be deceived.

That's the nature of doing business online.

The question is how far back do we go....corded and pay phones, keeping birth certificates in a shoebox, writing checks, licking stamps, check cashing joints, etc

Honestly.....
I think people should be given A CHOICE.

I you WANT the extra security of passwords, encrypted codes, and PIN numbers...then sign up for that.
If you aren't that concerned about security and want to keep things simple, you should be allowed to take that chance.

But don't FORCE a whole lot of shit on people they didn't ask for.

Like I said earlier.....
It's one thing to go through all of this effort if you're trying to get rich or have some sort of online business.
But when it comes to taking take care of regular routine business like checking your phone bill or making a doctor's appointment or checking the status of your tax refund....it shouldn't be made THAT complicated.

That juice isn't worth the squeeze.

[ProfD]

30 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Every time you turn on the news you hear about the Pentagon or some government institution has been hacked, and they supposedly have some of the best cyber security.
So how can a password or PIN number keep the average citizen safe?
 

All of these passwords and security verifications is making an inconvenience in most cases.

That juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Security slows down and/or makes it harder to steal. Determined criminals will keep trying to break it down. Chess match.

 

Unfortunately, as citizens we have to do whatever it takes to protect our information and valuables as well.

 

A choice or compromise could be using between 1-3 solid 12-14 character password(s) for everything and changing it every 6 months.

[Troy]

On 4/6/2025 at 10:33 AM, ProfD said:

Creating a very strong password that can be used anywhere.

 

I would discourage you from using the same password--even a string one.   If someone hacks your password from one system, they have it on all your systems.  Hackers know people like to use the same password.

 

I use a password manager too and have 586 passwords stored.  Obviously, I don't remember them all.

 

Increasingly, in addition to the password I need to have a pin texted or emailed to be as an additional precaution I also have two authenticators that I use including the IRS.

 

Criminals have really created a great friction and frustration when using the web.  

 

There are technologists working on this problem.  It basically has to do with us managing and OWNING our own personal information securely and not on another corporation's server.  You can provide, control, limit and revoke access at anytime.  This is not just for passwords but for medical info, address, drivers license, etc.

 

This tech will be implemented, but God only knows when.

[ProfD]

2 hours ago, Troy said:

I would discourage you from using the same password--even a string one.   If someone hacks your password from one system, they have it on all your systems.  Hackers know people like to use the same password.

True.  Providing they have the username and password combo and know every system (bank, retailer, etc.) an individual uses.

 

2 hours ago, Troy said:

I use a password manager too and have 586 passwords stored.  Obviously, I don't remember them all.

Password manager is great as long as it doesn't get hacked.

2 hours ago, Troy said:

Increasingly, in addition to the password I need to have a pin texted or emailed to be as an additional precaution I also have two authenticators...

Right.  2-step authentication provides another layer of cyber-protection beyond the password(s).