Security question
When users set up an account or profile online, they're often asked to choose a secret question or security question. These questions help identify users if they forget their password for an account login. Companies use these questions to ensure the account owner is the person trying to retrieve or reset a password. Websites that utilize passwords often ask you to select more than one security question when you set up an account.
For example, a website may ask you to create a username and password, and select and answer one or more questions, similar to the examples below.
- What is your mother's maiden name?
- What was the name of the street where you grew up?
- What was the name of your first pet?
- What was the name of your high school?
- What is the city where you grew up?
- What was your childhood nickname?
- What was the make and model of your first car?
Some company websites, like banks or other financial institutions, may pair a security question with your username and password as an additional level of protection for the login process.
When answering a security question for a lesser-known company or a company you might not fully trust, consider using false information in your security questions. Doing this prevents someone from scraping the answers and gaining true information about your life. For example, if they ask for your mother's maiden name, you could enter "Jones" instead of your mother's real maiden name. However, make sure to remember the false information you used.
How to change secret questions
Online services and accounts that use secret questions may or may not allow you to change them. Log in to the account and access the account settings or security section. Look for an option related to password change or secret questions. If the option is available, you can try changing the secret questions or answers to other secret questions.
Some accounts and companies do not allow you to change your secret questions online. You may need to call customer service for the account to change the secret questions, if allowed at all.
Account, Business terms, Forgot password, Hacker, Identity theft, Login, Password, Security, Security terms, Vulnerability, WireGuard