# I should never use bookmarks, because they are a security risk?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475 "2023-11-02T15:17:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475/21 "2023-11-04T20:29:49Z")

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Agreed. It seems pretty unlikely - I think I was just grasping for some kind of sensible meaning behind the bank’s admonition against bookmarks. In reality (and given the other information in the OP), the more likely explanation for their warning about bookmarks is that they are just incompetent.

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475/22 "2023-11-04T20:59:19Z")

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> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#):
>
> I’m guessing passwords were stored in a plaintext lookup table embedded in the login page static HTML file that was copied over from the previous GeoCities host. They hid it by overlaying a GIF with the bank’s mascot, which somewhat presciently is is a blind shepherd guiding his flock toward a pack of wolves. ‘Hackers’ discovered it when someone tried to update the page to HTML5 and displayed the page on an Android phone.

Nah, I’m thinking one of the cleaning temps found the IT department’s keyboard one night and just peeked under it.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475/23 "2023-11-04T21:05:08Z")

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This is why you always write your passwords in a box on your whiteboard with “DON’T ERASE!!!” written in big red letters.

[![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/ae/0f/1eae0fdecfe144b1dbee8edb0be5a477.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/ae/0f/1eae0fdecfe144b1dbee8edb0be5a477.jpg)

Stranger

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-should-never-use-bookmarks-because-they-are-a-security-risk/992475/24 "2023-11-06T16:16:34Z")

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[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2guB3XLtPgM/maxresdefault.jpg "Security Experts Advise Americans To Not Click Anything") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2guB3XLtPgM)

Stranger

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