A simple question.

[sllewk]

Hello everyone, I have been mulling over this 'FORCED' password change and taking all into account including the 'Security' aspect I tender the following Question:- Is it really necessary? I wonder if we would be over run by cretins and have personal information like bank passwords and family history stolen, thereby finding the bank balance suddenly depleted to zero? Would my wife and two daughters find Strangers knocking at their doors begging for money or even worse? Personally I do not think so and quite seriously request that the requirement be abolished as soon as possible. Oh I know I am only an Englishman on an American site and perhaps do not understand your ways but lots of members have fallen foul of the required change every 120 days - by all means have an initial password at registration but please leave it at that and cancel the requirement of '120 days then a new password.

Thank you for reading and any replies.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[chscag]

Thanks for your input Keith. We take every suggestion seriously and will certainly consider what you wrote.

Regards from the staff.

 

[pm-r]

by all means have an initial password at registration but please leave it at that and cancel the requirement of '120 days then a new password.

+1!!

I fully support the suggestion, especially in light of the various mac-forums.com screwups myselff and others have had to sort out with the last few changes we had to do.

And maybe someone could explain why changing one's password so often can increase one's protection or some legitimate reason.

The practice is a bit bizarre considering the site and its functions, and especially considering that not even Apple requests any user password changes at any of my Apple user accounts. Heck, neither has my bank or 99+% of the other sites I use.

Thank you,

- Patrick
======

 

[Ratsima]

I agree. Here's an interesting ARS article on the subject of forced password changes:

Microsoft says mandatory password changing is “ancient and obsolete”

 

[DianeVan]

Yes, shudder each time I get the message that it’s new password time. There always seems to some kind of screw up with it. This is just a discussion site not the keeper of nuclear codes. Unless I’m missing something.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[pm-r]

I agree. Here's an interesting ARS article on the subject of forced password changes:
Microsoft says mandatory password changing is “ancient and obsolete”

Right on. And thanks.

And just in case the admis here missed the first paragraph at that site there, I would like to add it here and add some emphesis:

Microsoft is finally catching on to a maxim that security experts have almost universally accepted for years: periodic password changes are likely to do more harm than good.[/QUOTE]

Sure seems like it to me and some others here.

Maybe some more members would like to add their supporting voice to get rid of the practice. I don't recall the practice was in place when I first joined and it was just a http (non-secure) not https site at that time.

- Patrick
======


EDIT:
It sure seems a lot of other sites are saying the same thing:
periodic password changes are likely to do more harm...
periodic password changes are likely to do more harm - Google Search

 

[sllewk]

Good Morning chscag, it is so reassuring to see that the Officialdom do read our comments and that they are open to member's suggestions. The last but one Password change led me up a very frustrating path and I almost decided to leave the site completely; not that that would have caused much of a stir in head office! I felt after much deliberation that I would be the only one who would suffer any inconvenience and better judgement took over and I am still a member. Thank you and the rest of the Admin staff for all the hard work done unseen by our members, much appreciated here.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[dtravis7]

I have held back for a long time on this as I do not like to make waves with people I am friends with. I have seen so many of the normal users here have issues with the Password change I have some feelings I will share.

I DO feel that here for the normal user having to change the PW every 3 months is a bit much, as like what has been said by others, there is nothing really here that can be compromised. Only thing I can think of is someone hacking a users account and come on the forums as them which we moderators and admins would catch I am sure.

 

[badshoehabit]

Agree.

 

[Sawday]

Hello everyone, I have been mulling over this 'FORCED' password change and taking all into account including the 'Security' aspect I tender the following Question:- Is it really necessary? I wonder if we would be over run by cretins and have personal information like bank passwords and family history stolen, thereby finding the bank balance suddenly depleted to zero? Would my wife and two daughters find Strangers knocking at their doors begging for money or even worse? Personally I do not think so and quite seriously request that the requirement be abolished as soon as possible. Oh I know I am only an Englishman on an American site and perhaps do not understand your ways but lots of members have fallen foul of the required change every 120 days - by all means have an initial password at registration but please leave it at that and cancel the requirement of '120 days then a new password.

Thank you for reading and any replies.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

I'm on your side on this Keith (as well as being on the same side of the Atlantic!).

 

[krs]

Is anyone voting in favour of the 120-day password change?

I would really like to know what the rationale for that would be.

This is a Mac discussion site, even if your password were compromised - what is someone going to do with it....post something in your name - that's the worst that could happen, is it not? I really cannot think of any valid reason to keep this forced password change, especially since it is giving some members (including myself) unnecessary problems that take hours (in my case at least) to sort out.
Same as member "sllewk" - last time I ran into the 120-day password problems, I was ready to throw in the towel and stop using this site, but the value provided by members convinced me to stay and work through the password issue even though for weeks, maybe even months, I always had to log in over and over again.

 

[pm-r]

Is anyone voting in favour of the 120-day password change?

It seems some of the Administrators have been, at least when the topic has been raised previously. And also the only reason we still suffer with it, at least as far as I know it seems.

Maybe with some luck and good guidence they will change their view and policy.



- Patrick
======

 

[lclev]

I must have been missed in the shuffle. I have never been asked to change my password except when the site was taken over from the previous company. Don't get me wrong - I am NOT feeling neglected!

I also do not feel mandatory 120 day changes are necessary. As a small network admin I have disabled the requirement. I am not into suffering and I know that would be the end result... "do you know what I made my password when we had to change them?" No not into self-induced suffering. They already manage to lock themselves out often enough by messing up the password they have had since forever, to keep me entertained.

Lisa

 

[pm-r]

I also do not feel mandatory 120 day changes are necessary. As a small network admin I have disabled the requirement.

Is there any way any of us could disable the requirement that the mac.forums.com seems to set for some of us??? That would sure be a nice feature that I would sure use if I could.



- Patrick
======

 

[Slydude]

Is there any way any of us could disable the requirement that the mac.forums.com seems to set for some of us??? That would sure be a nice feature that I would sure use if I could.

- Patrick
======

Just a guess here but I suspect that if that feature is available it would have to be enabled at the admin level. That's certainly worth considering if it is an option in the software/setup. While such a procedure would help many members, I suspect it would still be a problem for some who choose to leave the forced password change requirement in place because it is perceived by many to be more secure than not changing a passowrd.

This whole forced password process can be a pain for the admin team as well so I'm sure they'll be willing to give the whole process a thorough discussion / consideration.

 

[sllewk]

Good evening to every-one, I thank each and every-one who has responded to my "Simple question", I never expected such to happen at all. Now as to Voting IN or OUT of forced password change; this is something for our Admin team to put to us the members and not something we put to them, protocol must be followed here. I will though, put it to our Admin team that they 'Seriously discuss the subject of a Member's Vote'! I feel obliged to do it that way because the Admin run the site not the members, so please get together and come to a conclusion one way or the other. Thank you for listening to a very popular subject.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[pm-r]

This whole forced password process can be a pain for the admin team as well so I'm sure they'll be willing to give the whole process a thorough discussion / consideration.

Thanks Sly, and I think that's what many are hoping that there will be some serious consideration by the Admins given to changing the current policy.


@sllewk
EDIT :
I'd suggest forgetting and bypassing any "Member's Vote", the Admins and Mod have enough work to do already supporting the forum site.



- Patrick
======

 

[sllewk]

Good evening pm-r, I have not got any intension of increasing Admin's workload at all and I for one am aware of the load of work they all do for us. Sometimes though unusual rules are irksome to a lot of members and deserve to be sorted out; only Amin can do this and it is a grudge they must bare with much fortitude.(Not very well put there but I know what I mean) SORRY.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[Slydude]

@Keith

I don't want to presume to speak for the admin team but I'm pretty sure they took your question in a positive spirit. I'm sure that's how it was intended. We're always looking for positive suggestions aimed at improving the site.

 

[pm-r]

Sometimes though unusual rules are irksome to a lot of members and deserve to be sorted out; only Amin can do this and it is a grudge they must bare with much fortitude.

You mean it's sort of like the UK and their voting on Brexit, in or out???

My God, please save us and the Admins all the hassles.



- Patrick
======