TIL my dad’s password strategy from the 90s nearly got me hacked last Tuesday

I was resetting my router and used his old trick of writing passwords on a sticky note under the keyboard. Problem is, I posted a photo of my desk on Instagram and someone zoomed in on the note. They got into my Netflix, my email, and tried to buy $40 worth of crypto before I caught it. My dad still thinks sticky notes are fine, but has anyone else had a family member’s bad habit cause a real security scare?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_diana7d ago

Used to roll my eyes at people who said sticky notes were a bad idea, but after reading this I guess I was the one being naive. Getting into your Netflix is one thing, but that crypto attempt shows how fast something small can turn into a real headache. Might be time to retire the old post-it strategy for good.

max3887d ago

Honestly, sticky notes are a ticking time bomb. The old man probably thinks it's fine because nothing bad ever happened back then, but the internet wasn't trying to zoom in on your desk photos in the 90s. Tbh, you might want to switch to a password manager and tell him it's for "work tools" so he doesn't give you a lecture. Ngl, I've seen customers come in after their whole Google account got pwned from a similar setup - it's not even about being careful anymore, it's about how easy it is for someone to grab that info from across the room.