Examples of good predefined passphrase questions to use with SecureLogin

  • 7940331
  • 19-Aug-2009
  • 26-Apr-2012

Environment

SecureLogin SSO

Situation

Can you provide examples of some predefined passphrase questions?

Passphrase examples

Strong passphrase samples

Resolution

The key is to NOT make them so difficult the user won’t be able to remember them, and not too easy so that anyone can easily guess them. No two organizations in the world have the same security requirements and we recommend discussing suitable passphrases questions with your security team.
  • Name of your first pet? e.g. Lassie
  • Father’s middle name? e.g. Francis
  • Mother’s middle name? e.g. Louise
  • Mother’s maiden name? e.g. Harris
  • Post code of your first family home? e.g. Sw53pq
  • What was the name of the street where you grew up? e.g. Adamson
  • What is your first child’s middle name? e.g Matthew

The questions can be set using iManager

Additional Information

The SecureLogin passphrase protects users by uniquely encrypting their SecureLogin data, such as application usernames and passwords, with a key that only they know. For example, the passphrase question is asked if SecureLogin detects that someone other than the user reset the users Active Directory or eDirectory password.

This prevents someone other than the user, resetting their network password and logging on and accessing SecureLogin data. The passphrase also prevents even administrators with supervisor access from viewing the users application passwords using administrative tools.

The passphrase is set when the user starts SecureLogin for the first time and you can predefine a list of questions so the user simply has to enter an answer (rather than them having to think of a question and answer). It prevents users from entering questions they won’t know the answer to or that are too easily guessed, such as:

What day of the week is it?

What movie did I watch last night?