Shared Secrets

If you forget your password, some systems allow you to use shared secrets to gain access and reset your password.  Only you should know the answers to your shared secrets and they should never be revealed to others.

When creating shared secrets it is important to choose a question and answer that you will remember but that others are unlikely to know or guess.

Examples of good shared secrets:

• What was the last name of my first crush?
• Where did I go on my winter vacation in "year"?
• What is the name of my favorite teacher?
• What was the last name of my childhood friend "first name"?

Examples of poor shared secrets:

• What colour is my hair? (Never use information that can be obtained easily.)
• What is my phone number? (Never use publicly available information.)
• Do I own a horse? (Never use yes/no questions.)