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MNHQ

ATTENTION ALL: Changes to the login process are coming.

94 replies

BeccaMumsnet · 15/10/2015 12:33

Hi all,

We wanted to let you know in advance about a change we're making to the login page on Mumsnet, which will take effect from Monday.

As you'll all know unless you've been living under a rock for the last two months we've been looking very carefully at our site security in the wake of the hacking attacks in August. We've done a lot of work behind the scenes, but one of public changes we've decided to make is to remove the option of logging in using your username.

On a forum on which usernames are visible to the public, the wisdom now is that it's imprudent to allow people to log in with their usernames, on the grounds that a determined attacker could take their name and employ a piece of software to crack their password (this is known as a brute force attack). It's far more secure to require people to log in using their email addresses, since a hacker would have no way of knowing that.

From Monday on, therefore, we're going to remove the option of logging in using your nickname and password, and ask you to sign in using your email and password instead.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can still log in via Facebook or Google+.

If any of this doesn't make sense, or you've any further questions, please do ask here or email us on [email protected]

Thanks all
MNHQ

OP posts:
curriegirl · 16/10/2015 08:01

Understood hq.

diddl · 16/10/2015 07:43

Oh the shame!

I'd missed out a full stop when I'd put in my new email addressBlush, that's why I'd had no confirmation email.

So, done & dusted!

diddl · 16/10/2015 07:36

Well I've se up a new email & tried to change it & it doesn't seem to have worked.

Cba to try a different browser.

It's all seeming a lot of effort!

HSMMaCM · 16/10/2015 07:28

I've been trying to change my email address but I can't remember my password !!!!

DontHaveAUsername · 15/10/2015 23:24

What would be wrong with limiting login attempts to say 3 unsuccessful logins before refusing any more attempted logins to that account for the next 30 mins.

Also even with this new change people should still be using complex passwords. Use complex password managers like KeePass that enable you to have huge unique passwords for different sites while only needing to remember one master password. Passwords like letmein, password, and 123456 are some of the first ones that would be tried in a dictionary attack.

If your password is something like Mitt5843jhf"££$ then it doesn't matter if someone is trying to brute-force it. It's not computationally feasible to crack that kind of password in our childrens lifetimes never mind ours.

stupidgreatgrinonmyface · 15/10/2015 22:26

After the last 'incident', I created an email address and password specifically for MN. I don't use it for anything else so am no longer worried about that type of thing on here. I use chrome and had no problems changing the email address in my account.

TennesseeMountainPointOfView · 15/10/2015 21:01

AF - can you try on a different browser? I used chrome, because I find ff to be fairly picky at times, usually when I really want it to do something.

AnyFucker · 15/10/2015 20:36

nope

diddl · 15/10/2015 20:23

So changing email address doesn't seem to be working?

AnyFucker · 15/10/2015 20:17

Ana, Win7 and Firefox

RaspberryOverload · 15/10/2015 20:16

I'm used to signing in with email anyway. As I tend to read MN during lunch breaks and I don't want anyone looking over my shoulder at my username.

This email is only used for MN, so can't be used elsewhere.

ThatsDissapointing · 15/10/2015 20:11

You could just write the passwords on a sheet of A4 if you are bothered about the cost of notebooks Confused

Anastasie · 15/10/2015 20:07

I am a cheapskate and scrawled them all in something not made for the purpose.

I don't think I have enough to fill a whole notebook. But notebook shopping is always a joy so I won't condemn it Smile

SoupDragon · 15/10/2015 20:03

I have a notebook that was £1 for 5...

ThatsDissapointing · 15/10/2015 20:01

IWasHereBeforeTheHack

Thats - so, you paid £6 for a notebook just to write passwords in Confused

Umm, yes. Is that a problem for you? I hope you don't mind but I actually bought three, one for me and one each for my parents. Ill try to remember check with you first before buying anymore though Wink

Anastasie · 15/10/2015 19:52

AF what OS and browser pray?

I'm on Win 7 and IE. (tech hates me for this)

AnyFucker · 15/10/2015 19:50

me too, Ana

waste of feckin time

Anastasie · 15/10/2015 19:45

Just tried again.

ATTENTION ALL: Changes to the login process are coming.
Anastasie · 15/10/2015 19:42

Not for me. I've been trying for months and all I get when I fill in the conform box is 'error' and a cross in a box.

I wonder if they have fixed it in the last 20 minutes.

IWasHereBeforeTheHack · 15/10/2015 19:41

Thats - so, you paid £6 for a notebook just to write passwords in? Confused

AnyFucker · 15/10/2015 19:39

Yes, Tennessee

I have done that process several times

To no avail

TennesseeMountainPointOfView · 15/10/2015 19:25

When you change your email address, it doesn't look like it's worked to start with, but if you check your email, you should have a message asking you to click the link to confirm you requested the change.
If you click the confirm button, it opens a new window with your account details, showing the new email address.
I've just done it, and it worked first time.

Dowser · 15/10/2015 18:09

Oh no!!! The last time was hard enough and I won't be at home with good Internet access on Monday ...well all week actually.

Id better say my goodbyes now :-(

Anastasie · 15/10/2015 18:08

AHEM

Anastasie · 15/10/2015 18:08

Oh I thought it was just me and a 'sorry, we have explored everything and can't work it out, it must be just YOU'