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The World's Most Dangerous Password

NonNullSet writes "Minutemen ICBMs were deployed in the early 1960s, and grew to over 1000 in number. They were allegedly protected from a "rogue launch" by an approach known as PAL (Permissive Action Link). The PAL required that the correct 8-digit launch code be entered by the missiliers before the missile would establish ignition. What if all the PAL codes had been set to '00000000,' and 'everyone' in the Strategic Air Command knew it? That is unbelievably what happened, as described in this article from the Center for Defense Information. Not exactly a great example for getting people to choose difficult passwords!"

4 of 696 comments (clear)

  1. I Don't See The Problem by tealover · · Score: 1, Troll

    In the event of a preemptive attack by the USSR or China on the U.S., the knowledge by everyone of the passwords would have allowed the U.S. to destroy them as well.

    Seems like good policy to me.

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    -- You see, there would be these conclusions that you could jump to
  2. Re:Reminds me ... by polecat_redux · · Score: 0, Troll

    Um, obviously, that is simply an example of MS taking steps to ensure that the key doesn't confound its many customers who can type with only two fingers. Because, you know, they're like... stupid, and Bill Gates is the devil.

    Ugh, I feel dirty....

  3. Re:trust by Jerf · · Score: 0, Troll

    So, the only "significant weapons" that exist are WMDs?

    Like I asked someone else, do you even stop to think about your arguments before you make them? A little less knee-jerking, a little more thought is in order.

  4. Re:trust by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 0, Troll

    Oh, I can't wait until the left starts spouting this en masse. "Iraq shouldn't have cooperated with the inspectors! They were American shills!" or something.

    How about we let the chinese and russian intelligence agencies send a couple of their operatives along on some nuclear-non-profileration treaty inspections of American facilities? Are you some sort of communist that you want them to be able to spy on us? You god damn liberals are all the same.

    You anti-American vitriol is all politically correct and stuff, but in your zeal to be negative, you aren't leaving any actual alternatives that America could have taken that makes any sense.

    How about not lying to the American public to get our troops killed and encouraging even more people to support al-quaeda? You god damn liberals don't support the troops and you clearly don't give a rat's ass about national security.

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    When information is power, privacy is freedom.