In brief, I could never understand the rationale behind the use of Password Apps. Think about this for a moment… I may be living in the dark ages in your opinion, but I write down my login data in a leather bound book under lock and key. An Apple owner, I have done my research and know that the IPhone5 is frankly the hacker flavor of the month. The thought of trusting a device that is not impenetrable by any stretch of the imagination with access to everything I own for ease of use is crazy. At the risk of sounding both jaded and paranoid, I lived under siege as a result of a cyberattack. The perpetrator was in the UK, so everything was done remotely. Maybe I should be honored to have actually dealt with a bona fide black hat, whose specialty was cracking passwords- but that was my life for the better part of a year.
I am the atypical exception, but if you think the use of remote access software isn’t now commonplace you are just kidding yourself. This woman could crack a marginally elaborate password in less than 10 minutes. She can’t be the only cyber criminal out there who has finely tuned that nefarious skill.
I am self taught via doing a ton of research during that dark time. The hacker community is a world where they read a software flyer like we might read a Safeway weekly. There is NOTHING you can’t buy for a price in that culture. It’s so skewed, there are even hacker groups sponsored by Google where better and more intrusive devices are discussed in a sponsored setting offered and sanctioned by one of the most powerful companies in the world. Go ahead and check it out. The culture is such that the more destructive and the more power and control you can exert over someone else, the more respect you command.
Admittedly, the chance of being the victim or focus of a criminal with that much skill is fairly unlikely. It is incomprehensible and almost ridiculous to even consider this might happen to you. So you drink the Kool Aid being poured by the likes of Apple or Google and buy your “lazy girl apps” which you think are airtight. Sorry. I am not buying it. There are inherently bad people out there who have mad skills and they are growing in numbers every day.
Have you ever known anyone who was trying to recover from a nasty case of Identity Theft? I became involved with “identitytheft.org” whose staff supported me through my situation. Some victims lose their homes, life savings and even jobs while they wait out lengthy mandatory investigation and processing times. The dynamic frequently results in marital discord, and often divorce. Reports of being tied up for 10 years are not unrealistic.
Given this truthful and accurate information, why would one take the chance of placing themselves in that situation? It’s safer statistically to keep the list in your glove compartment. Even a script kiddie or common street thief can tear up that device and use the almighty dictionary to get the job done. Lacking sophistication and experience it might take a little longer- but they will get in.
You might think all of this sounds crazy and statistically almost impossible. I assure you it is not. Frankly, it reminds me on a much different level of the Photo Vault concept. WHO in their right mind would risk walking around with nude photos in their back pocket at all times? Your body might be fabulous, but how great will it feel when your slightly unstable ex girlfriend decides to mail them to your employer?
Between the cyberattack and many years as a psych RN, do not confuse my knowledge based practice with cynicism. Keep yourself safe by treating your devices with the respect they deserve. I think the app lifestyle is out of hand. Don’t risk what you don’t have to risk just because you are lazy and skeptical.
And change your passwords!