Pembi's Random Ramblings » Security http://blog.pembi.net WARNING: May contain nuts. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:55:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 PswGen Progress Report http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-progress-report http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-progress-report#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:37:10 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=1006 Actually, it’s more of a lack-of-progress report, I’m afraid.

But more coming soon, so watch this space! I now have a Mac, and a few days off work. Once I get my head around the very odd way Apple wants you to write software, I’ll have an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch version released in short order.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-progress-report/feed 0 PswGen is lagging a little… http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-is-lagging-a-little http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-is-lagging-a-little#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:18:30 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=991 With apologies to those of you who’ve complained that PswGen hasn’t kept up with Firefox updates.
I will get to it, I promise! Things are just really busy at the moment. I plan to include some improvements in the next release, specifically a “slim” version where the only visible presence is a button on the main toolbar. Or perhaps just an entry on the context menu? What do you think?

And by popular demand, there is also a Google Chrome version in the works.

Hang in there, folks! In the meantime, the standalone windows executable, sidebar/desktop widget and original Python application are all still available on the password generator project page, and of course the web service is at http://pwd.pembi.net as always.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-is-lagging-a-little/feed 0 PswGen Toolbar Returns! http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-returns http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-returns#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:54:11 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=958 With apologies for the delay, I’m happy to announce that the PswGen FireFox toolbar now works on the latest releases.

You’ll find it at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/13261/

I’d love to know if you use it, hate it, love it, whatever!

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-returns/feed 0 Spammers DIE! http://blog.pembi.net/spammers-die http://blog.pembi.net/spammers-die#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:36:47 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=913
I’m now getting dozens of signups a day by spambots, and have had to institute a use-it-or-lose it policy:

If you register on this site but do not post any comments, your registration will be removed without warning. Sorry if you’re suddenly unable to log in. But then if you were logging in and never contributing, what was the point? I can’t imagine why spammers bother with blogs. They never post anything either!

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/spammers-die/feed 0 Online Password Generator is back http://blog.pembi.net/online-password-generator-is-back http://blog.pembi.net/online-password-generator-is-back#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:20:44 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=869

A regular user pointed out last night that the online password generator at http://pwd.pembi.net wasn’t working any more. Turns out my host’s SSL had been broken. Now repaired and back in business.

As always, absolutely free to use as you please.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/online-password-generator-is-back/feed 0 PswGen Toolbar Updated http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-updated http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-updated#comments Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:49:17 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=741 v0.9.3 is now available on the Mozilla Addons site at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/13261

This version includes functional Options at last – you can now switch the “Follow Me” feature off if you want to, and I’ve added a “Hide Password” toggle so that not only do you never need to type your passwords in, they’re not even shown on the screen any more.

Be aware that there is a bug with the way new “experimental” add-ons are handled on the add-ons site, and they show a “invalid file hash” error when installing unless you first log in to the add-ons site. This is NOT a fault with the add-on itself, regardless of what the message says.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-toolbar-updated/feed 4 PswGen FireFox Toolbar now available! http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-firefox-toolbar-now-available http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-firefox-toolbar-now-available#comments Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:05:34 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=738 Wheeee! You can get it from the Mozilla addons site.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-firefox-toolbar-now-available/feed 1 PswGen for FireFox – testers wanted! http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-firefox-testers-wanted http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-firefox-testers-wanted#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:52:14 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=718 Please note! The content on this post is now out of date. Updates and news items for PswGen are available on the project page

The descriptions and comments below are out of date. See above.

pswgentoolbar1
The PswGen toolbar for FireFox is now working, although not quite complete yet. The bits still needing attention are:

  1. Cosmetic: the edit-boxes can be untidy depending on the theme in use.
  2. Cosmetic: the padlock icon isn’t quite right.
  3. Functional: the “follow-me” logic isn’t firing when the user changes tabs.
  4. Functional: the default length of 8 in the toolbar doesn’t work, always defaults to 4.
  5. Functional: ditto the default length in the Options dialog.
  6. Functional: the parameters entered via the Options dialog aren’t yet in use anywhere.
  7. Wish-list: sign the XPI.
  8. Wish-list: provide secure update via the Mozilla add-on centre.

Despite that lot, it is still very usable. Fill in your name, secret word and number ONCE. Now watch as, when you move from site to site, passwords are generated for you. The same one for each site, every time. No need to write them down. Or even remember them. Press the “Copy” button to send it to the clipboard, and paste it in wherever you need it. Nothing for keyloggers to log!

If you’d like to help test this, leave a comment below and I’ll send you a copy. Other releases and flavours of PswGen are available on the project page.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-firefox-testers-wanted/feed 2 PswGen for Windows now available! http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-windows-now-available http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-windows-now-available#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:21:11 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=702 PswGen-Screen
If you can’t be bothered with Python, don’t trust the web service, and can’t wait for Ken to finish the FireFox add-on… Now available on the PswGen page.

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/pswgen-for-windows-now-available/feed 0 Why is my bank using TouchClarity? http://blog.pembi.net/why-is-my-bank-using-touchclarity http://blog.pembi.net/why-is-my-bank-using-touchclarity#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:52:17 +0000 Ken http://blog.pembi.net/?p=694 Should I be concerned that my online banking transactions are being monitored by an internet marketing and trends-analysis company? Damn right I should! I can understand their desire to track enquiry-to-signup rates – that’s important information for any company – but to continue tracing my activity once I’ve logged into my supposedly secure banking portal is extremely poor practice. Not to mention extremely scary. I wonder what the legal implications are? Under the DPA, my information absolutely must be kept safely on UK-based servers. Can the HSBC guarantee this is the case, when there are tracking-redirects all over the place?

More to follow…

]]> http://blog.pembi.net/why-is-my-bank-using-touchclarity/feed 0