Library Checkout: Touch Screen, Lose Password

A library near me implemented self-checkout stations that use touch screens that make it easy to lose your password.

Those of you who’ve been around might remember I have written before about libraries and how I’ve found questionable security.

So how do you lose your password?

You May Kiosk the Bride

I was in a hurry, trying to print out a bridal registry list from a kiosk in a well-known store. I punched in the bride’s name and the list popped up. I pressed the PRINT button on the screen. The first page appeared as expected, but then things became a little more interesting.

Searching for Secrets

I was visiting a friend at large, public company doing some benchmarking when we had to schedule several meetings with IT to gather data. My friend “Meako” starting entering attendees into his online calendar to see whether we could get some important meetings scheduled during the next week.

Randomly Generate Weak Passwords

I was at a client’s site looking for more contract work when the manager of the department started telling me about their great IT security website on their Intranet. She clicks on their random generator password page and shows me how you can generate a block of “approved” passwords, sanctioned by their security department. At the top of the page, a banner read: Select a Strong Password!

Bank No Longer Invites Hackers In

Remember the Security Scout adventure where I roamed the basement of a major bank and found questionable security issues? If you missed it or need a refresher, read Major Bank Invites Hackers In?

Guess what happened at the bank?

Free Firewall Password (Just Ask)

A couple of weeks into a new job, I was told that I was now in charge of the Internet firewall. I suddenly realized I had two major problems:

1. I did not know squat about firewalls.
2. I did not know the firewall password.

Pwd on the Wall 2

My last post, Password, Password on the Wall, triggered a memory of another password issue I stumbled upon some time ago.

I had flown across the country to help a fellow system administrator upgrade some of his applications. At one point, we left the data center and ventured out to the factory floor to fix a botched client software installation.