Mothers Maiden Name for security

Legacy_user

Some companies ask their customers their MMN for security. It's flawed for a number of reasons:
1. All your siblings, including half blood (through your mother) share the same answer/name.
2. If your mother has/had sisters, any children (cousins) have the same MMN as you
3. With more children born to parents that are not married, their MMN is the same as their mum's surname. Plus more children use their mum's surname when their parents split up.
4. Info very easy to locate on the internet.
5. Can hurt those who never knew their mother

I wish companies stop using MMN as a security question, or place of birth as again easy to find.

Once I was phoning up a company to sign up for an account with them. When the advisor asked me for my MMN, I gave them a proper password. That was refused as the system refused non letters in the space. I asked to type the words to the numbers.

What's your opinion over this?

Valli

Given that my mother's maiden name would be considered, by most people, to be a forename as that is its most common usage it's not an issue for me!

However I fully take your point that, as many people now don't marry, it is not a particularly 'safe' or 'secret' choice!

xHannahx

I lost my mum when I was young and no other living relatives, so finding information like this can be difficult. I use mother in laws maiden name instead.

Baby_Angel

I have given all kinds of names for MMN. Who said it should be the actual name. It should be something you remember( at the time you are required to clear security). That is the only requirement. Once doing it online, out of desperation and running out of words I gave the word "cupboard". :rotfl:I know it isn't very creative but sure no one would know but me. Special characters with a exception of a few will be probably rejected.

mije1983

Some companies now let you pick you own security question from a selection. So it seems they also agree with you.

Recently from what I can remember, I have had primary school, favourite teacher, best friend at school, first holiday, mother's/father's place of birth, favourite film, last 4 digits of bank account number.

Mrs_Ryan

My partner is estranged from his mother. He often can't even remember what his mothers maiden name even is. In a case like that I ask them to accept another word instead. My student finance password is a great one- my eldest sibling's middle name!

username

The securest way of this - don't use real answers.

I don't know why anyone feels the need to provide the real answer to such questions (as if someone is verifying them!).

Mix it up a little - use the pet's name as that of your mother's maiden name etc. Or just use a word that only you will know will have relevance to that answer.

If anyone's following the cpw dob thread in this same forum, you're probably thinking I need to remove the colander from my head - but my point is, we give our real information away far too freely and also it's not good for security to use the actual 'real' answers.

p00hsticks

Baby_Angel wrote: »

I have given all kinds of names for MMN. Who said it should be the actual name. It should be something you remember( at the time you are required to clear security). That is the only requirement. Once doing it online, out of desperation and running out of words I gave the word "cupboard". :rotfl:I know it isn't very creative but sure no one would know but me. Special characters with a exception of a few will be probably rejected.

I agree - there is no reason why you have to give your real mothers maiden name, birth place etc, and it's far more secure not to....

Just tell them, for example, that your mothers maiden name is Mountbatten-Windsor and you were born in Transylvania - as long as you can remember it, who cares ?

Exile_geordie

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

My partner is estranged from his mother. He often can't even remember what his mothers maiden name even is. In a case like that I ask them to accept another word instead. My student finance password is a great one- my eldest sibling's middle name!

Is it esmerelda?

fozmcfc

If there is a password and/or number code in addition to the security question, then online I do generally use mothers maiden name for the security question.

When it comes to cases, where I might need to speak to a company on the phone about something, it can be years between setting up an account and needing to answer the information. Therefore I use mother maiden name, as I would never remember the answers I gave.

I have a neighbour, who sets up numerous passwords answers and security question answers. Regularly she has trouble with companies, because she keeps giving the wrong answers and they won't speak to her, or her account is locked.

We can all try to prevent it, but fraud/hacking etc, is like burglary, it doesn't matter how many locks and security systems you put in place, if it is going to happen to you, it will, no matter what measures you take.

giraffe69

Therefore I use mother maiden name, as I would never remember the answers I gave.

That's not a reason to use the real name. Use a password program or put it in a password protected Excel file. Both of these save you having to remember and when it is easy to have 100+ websites for which you need detail there has to be some way of remembering as senior moments become more frequent!