[sldev] [VWR] Improving Authentication Security

[Nicholaz Beresford]

Hi All!

If there is a need for improved security with 3rd party
builds, I'd suggest a different approach and submit
it for discussion, assuming that it's true that the Lindens
learned from the not-listening-to-residents disaster
with the voice GUI.


Intro:

If people decide to trust an application or it's source,
there is no need to pamper them. 99% of the people are
using the official viewer.  Letting them jump through
some extra hoops, is [... (insert your choice of word here)].

Same goes to the security vulnerability of "Remember
password" or using brain dead or weak passwords.  If
people want to use it, let them (which is what you do
anyway).


So, here is my suggestion:

1) Let the current login mechanism remain (maybe with
increased security like using CRAM-MD5 instead of MD5
which would have avoided the recent exploit).


2) If there is a need to offer increased security for
those who want it, have an option to generate a one time
password on the website and either copy/paste that into the
viewer's password field or *optionally* launch it via
secondlife:// viewer (for convenience, where that works).

Offer to generate lists of such passwords for printing/storing,
e.g. to take with you for use in internet cafes, for use on
devices or situations where no trusted browser is available
(trusted enough to go to the website to log in with the
master password to generate a one time password) or where
www.secondlife.com is simply down.

This approach is tried and trusted in the bank sector
(at least in Europe), where it is called TAN (transaction
number).  You get lists of 50 or 100 of those, each of
which  can only used once for a transaction like a money
wires, address change, etc.

Make this a *CHOICE*, which people could engage if they
are dealing with clients they don't fully trust or when
logging into accounts which have valuable assets.

A procedure like this is an established standard in a
sector of the industry where people have a lot more to
lose.


But please make it a frigging *option*.



Nick
-- 
Second Life from the inside out:
http://nicholaz-beresford.blogspot.com/