bugtraq - Re: SMC Router safe Login in plaintext

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Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 07:40:43 -0700
From: Nicolas Couture <nc@...rmvault.net>
To: bugtraq@...urityfocus.com, full-disclosure@...ts.netsys.com
Subject: Re: SMC Router safe Login in plaintext

On Wed, 3 Sep 2003, Schmehl, Paul L wrote:
> Every ISP I've ever dealt with stores your password in plaintext.  If
> this were not true, they would not be able to tell you what it is.  Just
> call support, identify yourself and ask them to change your password for
> you.

I have to disagree with one point, it's not because they can tell you your
password that it is
stored in plain text.

> The risk is that someone else could use your account to access the
> Internet.  Apparently that's a risk the ISPs are willing to take.  So
> exposing your ISP password in plaintext on your own computer is really
> no more of a risk than you are already exposed to.

I think that many ISPs are neglecting security to a point that is
ridiculous.
A simple yet stupid example is that I spent alot of my personal time with my
ISP
before I actually convinced them to add SSL support to one of their
webservices
that allows us, users, to change our passwords online.

That is something trivial on a security point of vue.  The sad part is their
webservices
where anyone could actually verify if an account name is valid and could
even crack
it's password because of their bad designs.

All that to say paranoia is a good virtue.

> That's why I use "throwaway" passwords for ISP access.  They're
> worthless anyway.

I encourage this "strategy" and would even recommend using them whenever
possible.

                                Nicolas Couture

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