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IBM Applies for Password Manager Patent

An anonymous reader writes "As of August 21, IBM has applied for a patent on "A convenient and secure system and method for access to any number of password-protected computer applications, web sites and forms without adding to the user cognitive load and without circumventing the inherent security of such password-protection schemes. An existing password field on a device display is overlaid with password wallet pop-up field which allows a wallet "master" key to unlock the wallet. An application-specific and/or user-specific password is automatically retrieved from the wallet and entered into the password field with no other user action required." This isn't much different from Mozilla's "Master Password"."

3 of 247 comments (clear)

  1. Re:STOP! STOP! by ScottSpeaks! · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    "Will slashdot ever drag itself into the year 2003 and provide the ability to edit posts?"

    2003? The ability to revise your past remarks first came into widespread use in 1984.

  2. Re:STOP! STOP! by symbolic · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    First, ars provides this ability, but I have yet to see the catastrophic consequences that everyone keeps claiming- it reminds me of Chicken Little.

    Second, it's not that difficult to devise a scheme that will allow for editing, but deal with the karma whores. For example: allow the editing of a post for only the first 10 minutes after posting. Second, any changes to the post result in a forfeiture of any moderation received up to that point, unless the moderation is negative.

    Interestingly, comments rarely get rated within the first 10 minutes anyway (few, if any, of mine have), so this is almost a non-issue- just the same, I've proposed a safeguard that will prevent the kind abuse you're talking about.

    Either I'm missing something here, or it really isn't rocket science after all.

  3. Re:ah crap... by Elektroschock · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, Fritz Teufel(IBM), (btw Teufel=devil) is a key person in the Propatent lobby. He drafted Bitkom's statements as well as Eicta's lobby work. He is a patent radical paid by IBM.