[ISN] Insurer to halt rude passwords

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Sun Aug 25 2002 - 23:24:53 PDT

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    http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article.jhtml?articleID=386348
    
    Aftenposten English Web Desk
    Jonathan Tisdall
    23.08.02
    
    A Porsgrunn man was stunned to learn that the new password to access
    his account with insurers If was ... rather rude. If has now
    introduced a routine to block the creation of off-color passwords,
    Telemarksavisa reports.
    
    The 31-year-old received a letter from If inviting him to visit his
    own personal area on their web site. "We have received your order for
    a password for your personal site at If. Your password is: trrekukk,"  
    the letter reads - the key word being roughly equivalent to 'wooden
    penis'.
    
    "OK, the word has an 'r' too much but ... it doesn't bother me but an
    older person would surely have reacted," the Porsgrunn man said. He
    wishes to remain anonymous in order to avoid having his name memorably
    associated with his password.
    
    "It's an untraditional password. I had a good laugh and have shown the
    letter to most of the people at work," he said.
    
    If's webmaster Thomas Aam was stunned to hear the news. "What in the
    world. No, that is not on. That is not supposed to happen," Aam said,
    who has never heard of a similar case.
    
    "It could be human error, it could be technical. We encourage clients
    to change the passwords they get so that they can use more normal
    terms. I will discuss this with our IT department," Aam said.
    
    If information chief Jack Frostad later explained to Telemarksavisa
    that the obscenity had been generated randomly using some of the
    customer's name as a basis.
    
    "This was really bad and we offer a groveling apology. Starting this
    evening we have implemented a mechanical block for taboo words and
    hope that it won't happen again," Frostad said.
    
    
    
    
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