The same key for everything
Jo uses one password for her email, her games and her school account. One day a small games site is hacked. The password leaks.
Within hours someone tries it on her email. It works. One weak habit opened three doors. How can a system be sure who you are, and what should each person be allowed to do?
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can compare ways of proving who you are, and choose the right access level for a person.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Authentication | proving that you are who you say you are |
| Biometrics | using a part of your body, such as a fingerprint, to prove who you are |
| Two-step verification | two separate checks, such as a password and a code |
| Security token | a small device or key that proves you have it |
| Access right | what a user may do with a file or folder |
| Lockout | an account that is blocked after too many wrong tries |
| Digital signature | a check that a message is from you and was not changed |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter: what you already know
Have a go
Starter: what you already know
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Good login habits
Most systems start with a user name and a password. A good password is long. A phrase of several unrelated words is strong and easier to remember than random symbols.
Never share it. Use a different one for each account. Do not write it where others can see it. Change it if you think someone else knows it. A password manager (a program that stores passwords safely) helps.
Rules a system can set
| Rule | What it does | A limit |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum length and mix of characters | Makes guessing harder | People may choose "Password1!" to fit the rule |
| Password history | Stops reusing old passwords | Users may only add a number to the old one |
| Change after a set time | Limits the time a stolen password works | Frequent changes make people choose weaker ones |
| Account lockout | Stops endless guessing | A real user can be locked out |
| Password reset steps | Lets a real user back in | Must check who is asking, or it is a way in for others |
| Graphical password | Choose pictures or points on an image | Others may see which ones you tap |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.