Out of band
10 articles filed under out of band.
- What is a passphrase, and how many words does it need? A passphrase is a string of random words: as strong as a random password and far easier to type or read aloud. How many words you need, why they must be random, and where a passphrase beats a password. Concepts
- How to generate an API client ID and client secret A client ID names an application and a client secret proves it. How long each should be, which format to use, why prefixes help, and how to store and hand over the secret safely. Engineering
- What is a phishing link? How to check before you click A phishing link imitates a service you trust in order to take your credentials. The signs worth checking, in order, and why a genuine one-time secret link trips some of the same alarms. Practice
- One-time secret vs one-time password: what is the difference? A one-time password is a login code that proves who you are. A one-time secret is a link that delivers a credential to someone else, once. Same name, opposite jobs. Concepts
- How to share a WiFi password (and when not to) The fastest way to share a WiFi password depends on whether the person is standing next to you. Phone-to-phone sharing, guest networks, finding a password you have forgotten, and what to do for someone remote. Practice
- How to share credentials with contractors Contractors sit outside your password manager and their access has an end date. A practical process for granting, handing over and revoking credentials. Practice
- The best ways to share passwords securely A ranked, honest guide to sharing passwords with colleagues and clients: what to use for ongoing access, what to use for a one-off handover, and what to stop doing. Concepts
- What is a one-time password link? A one-time password link sends a password or API key through a URL that self-destructs after it is read. How they work, and when to use one. Concepts
- Link previews are eating your one-time secrets Slack, Teams and Outlook fetch every URL you paste. So do mail scanners. Here is what that does to a view counter, and the fix. Engineering
- Out of band, in plain language The phrase comes from telephone engineering and gets used loosely in security. What it means here is narrow and useful. Concepts