Re:Let’s talk about usernames
by ubernostrum on Monday February 12, 2018 @02:35AM
(#16357152)
OK. You go get every single company, site and service on earth to deploy a 100% perfect credential-recovery system and only have it used by 100% perfect people who never ever make a mistake. And when you've finished, let me know and I'll rethink my approach to email.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
You don't need to make a system that's perfect. You just need to make a system in which checks are required to make _any_ change the credentials on an account. Once those checks are complete, it makes no difference if the change is from [email protected] to [email protected] or to [email protected].
It’s not just password resets that are the issue. It’s also things like:
- Functions to get the account based on the email address
- Internal tools
- Stored procedures and other SQL stuff that happens outside the main code base
- Third-part integrations (Mailgun, Sailthru, ZenDesk, SalesForce, etc.)
That’s a huge attack surface where if there is even a minor mistake by a junior dev that no one noticed then everyone is going to lose their assets under protection.