Username and passwords are used to access confidential information in the net are of great help because the two would disallow unauthorized viewing and or editing of the data contained in a certain web site. Usernames and passwords verify that the current user is supposedly the real owner of that account. The correct password for a username is important to be kept secret by its owner in order that he has the only right to view and do transactions in his account.
Cindy should therefore be aware that Janie should not know her password. If ever Janie would know her password, then all the data contained in her account could be accessed by Janie even without her consent and at any time she wishes to. Janie could then view all the confidential matters contained in Cindy’s account and worse, Janie may also delete not just only one part but even all of Cindy’s data. Janie then has also the privilege to change the password of Cindy’s account thus forbidding the true owner to access the data.
Assuming that Janie is a close friend of Cindy and she has high trust on her, if Cindy would give her password to her friend, Janie then has the same privilege to access Cindy’s account. Though it is not advisable to share someone’s password, it is somewhat advantageous in the sense that if someone has your needed data, then you have the privilege to access it. Cindy would not then be required to go to Janie’s house so as Janie could access a document they both need but Janie don’t have.
She can then access Cindy’s account every time she needs unless Cindy changed her password. Username and passwords are of wide use today not only in the net but also to other means of storing data such as in the case of ATM Cards, computers and cell phones. If Cindy has high regards of her data’s confidentiality, then she would never dare to give her password even to her closest friend. Commonly, passwords are advised to be the combination of n-characters that is not easily guessed.
This is to ensure that no one could someone’s data by trying several guesses until he would get the right combination.
References:
Password Security FAQ. (2007) Regent University. Retrieved October 6, 2007 from http://www. regent. edu/it/helpdesk/document/password. cfm EC Login: usernames and passwords for everyone! (2006). SOAPPLAB Auckland. Retrieved October 6, 2007 from http://www. soapplab. auckland. ac. nz/info/networking/eclogin. htm