Scan your face, scan your finger, scan your ID, scan your badge, enter the code, scan your…

🤭

I used to work with this guy whose wife had some restricted job. I asked what she did and was told all he could tell me was “she has a double master in microbiology and virology and gets paid by the cdc” this was about 2012.

Due to this and associated “security” risk his kids were put into a “secure” daycare. To pick them up he had to present a photo id, finger print scan, and retina scan.

That’s interesting. Most people in that world have boring cover jobs. They don’t say “it’s highly classified” because that’s part of the secret - the who and where for a project.

I don’t know where exactly she worked or what she worked on. I know he was well paid and said “I’m not the breadwinner in the family, my wife makes atleast 3 times what I do”.

The biggest secret is that there is a secret to begin with. In a lot of environments they work very hard to keep you from knowing who’s doing something important and who is doing routine work. It’s interesting to me that her agency allows someone to admit they are working on a secret project. I’ve never been in that world but I have been adjacent to it.

For a first time open on a new phone sure. But then your comparing it to make requisition for new key blanks, await delivery from manufacturer (could even include mining and smelting), send blanks for cut, cut key, await delivery, document who received which serial number, deliver key to you, put key in key hole, twist key… I mean, I get they’re making a point, but I think it is a bit over inclusive. Login to lock app, unlock door.

I don‘t think that comparison works either because you get a new phone for completely unrelated reasons than the door but you only get new keys under rare circumstances. The new phone scenario probably happens more than 5 times as frequently.

Maybe, but that number seems arbitrary. Keys are a bit easier to misplace, but phones are more likely to break in a drop. Both need replaced infrequently. When a key is lost, often locks must be rekeyed, meaning new keys for everybody; maybe that’s 5:1. One allows specific keys for specific users. There are of course pros and cons to each. I’m just saying listing all these steps seems to belabor the point.

I agree they’re overblowing it for comedy, but holy hell do I hate ‘magic links’.

Have them as an option sure. But for everyone with a password manager they’re multiple extra steps that make the sign in process clunkier.

If you have 2FA they’re actively useless security theater.

Situations like this I always wonder what would happen if you lost your phone mid day. Say it fell in the rain gutter during lunch, do you just take the rest of the day off? Sorry boss I’m locked out of my office till Wednesday when my new phone should arrive…