Interntet stealing concern

[Tatka]

I just read something on another forum and it got me worried. It is somewhat specific to the Princess Cruises as only Princess puts cards with passenger names near cabin doors.

 

When you connect to the internet to create internet account system asks you to provide name and birthday. Well, this information is available for the strangers. All they need to do is to find a door with birthday decorations. I know that not all people celebrate birthdays on their actual d.o.b. but still it is pretty close.

 

 

 

I hope nobody will use it, but it would be great if Princess changed its procedure of logging into the internet.

[Woobstr112G]

Take your name tag off the door the moment you get to your cabin on embarkation day.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Tatka]

This is a great advice!!!

Thank you. :)

[antsp]

The poster balloons on the door dont give an exact date of your birthday

[Shoalwater]

No big deal,

 

There are usually 2 people in a cabin and the range for birthday celebrations is +/- 30 days or so. That means there are about 60 different day/month combinations per person. So let's just say there are 120 combos to try, and that's before you add the year of birth. Let's say it's an "older" cruise, so you can restrict the years to between say 1960 down to 1930, adding another 30 tries to each day/month combination or 900 tries per person times 2. You might get lucky by the end of the cruise, provided the person in the cabin hasn't already opened an account. This is usually done the first day, so you had better get through these 1800 combos quickly, say within 5 hrs of boarding ship.

 

No big deal with how internet log on is initiated at present.

[Tatka]

Oh... I forgot about the year of birth!

Shame on me. :o:D

 

Thank you for explaining me basics of theory of probability. :)

But without a year ... task would still be doable.

[Potstech]

Is any one aware of this happening this way on a cruise???

[ChiefBoats]

I think that this is not a big issue and I have heard of no internet log in issues. If you are that concerned one solution would be to remove the birthday sign, balloons (don't tell them you are celebrating a birthday to start with.) and your room guest card. The chance of someone figuring out your birthday would be very small since a persons birthday could be any number of days prior to the cruise or any number of days after the cruise. Frankly I'm not to concern with that small issue.

 

_______________________________

Previous Cruises

Alaska 2008 – Island Princess

Alaska 2009 – Island Princess

Alaska 2010 – Royal Princess

Alaska 2011 – Golden Princess

Alaska 2012 – Star Princess

Panama Canal 2012 – Coral Princess

Western Caribbean – Crown Princess

Alaska 2013 – Island Princess

 

Future Cruises

Western Caribbean 2013 – Caribbean Princess

Southern Caribbean 2014 – Royal Princess

[beg3yrs]

Be sure to log on the first day and change your birthday password right away.

[paul929207]

If you establish your account, with a secure password, you should be fine.

[Tatka]

So I do need to create my account, to prevent a possibility, right?

I do not often use internet during cruises.

[Pam in CA]

If you establish your account, with a secure password, you should be fine.

I agree. You are required to change your password at the first login so unless you give out your password, your login is secure. After all, most of us have home WiFi networks to use the Internet and our neighbors know our name. This is a non-issue IMHO.

[Woobstr112G]

So I do need to create my account, to prevent a possibility, right?

I do not often use internet during cruises.

 

You need to create an account period if you want to use the internet.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Pam in CA]

So I do need to create my account, to prevent a possibility, right?

I do not often use internet during cruises.

Here's a screenshot of the first sign-on page. You create a password immediately and from then on, just enter your name, cabin # and password. After logging out, the logout screen will list all the times you've logged in and for how long. Pretty easy to see if anyone has been using your login.

 

[Tatka]

You need to create an account period if you want to use the internet.....:):):)

 

Bob

 

Problem is not me using the internet, but somebody else trying to use the internet on my behalf. :D

 

Ok, after explanations above I understand that probability of "them" getting my DOB right is pretty slim.

[Tatka]

Here's a screenshot of the first sign-on page. You create a password immediately and from then on, just enter your name, cabin # and password. After logging out, the logout screen will list all the times you've logged in and for how long. Pretty easy to see if anyone has been using your login.

 

[ATTACH]283713[/ATTACH]

 

This is good!

 

So if I do log in I will see if somebody was using my internet before, otherwise I will get it in the statement. :mad::D

[cruzsnooze]

If any cruise line had to keep reversing internet charges because of fraud they would address the problem. Apparently this is not the case. I personally have not heard of internet abuse happening.

[compozer]

Last March was the first time I have been required to put my birthday date on the first login. If anything, I could see some teenagers with nothing to do, trying to get in but I doubt most people would try it. Maybe it happened once or twice and this is the way to prevent it from happening.

 

If you did find that you could not log in because someone had already logged in, just go down to the Internet Café and they will get it straightened out. You will get your minutes one way or another.

 

Don't let it worry you. have a great cruise.

[SwissDave]

Problem is not me using the internet, but somebody else trying to use the internet on my behalf. :D

 

Ok, after explanations above I understand that probability of "them" getting my DOB right is pretty slim.

 

How about the probability is virtually zero? How many people do you actually know had their internet 'stolen' ?

 

I'm guessing zero.

[bjkTX]

This is good!

 

So if I do log in I will see if somebody was using my internet before, otherwise I will get it in the statement. :mad::D

 

I would guess if someone managed to log in as you before you got to it - you'd get rejected because you don't know the password they used :-)

[JimmyVWine]

Let's say it's an "older" cruise, so you can restrict the years to between say 1960 down to 1930,...

Hey! I almost resemble that remark! :p

[framer]

Please let me chime in here. Its not that someone might use your minutes but in my last 6-7 cruises I found many computers without passwords needed to access their whole hard drive. Please secure your computers with a logon password when in public even a bad password is better than an open no password needed computer.

 

:eek: I really don't want to see those pictures, thanks. I hope the point is made.

 

 

framer

[Mom33]

When you create a password, you are the only one with access whether someone knows your name and cabin number. :)

[Kentchikan]

This is good!

 

So if I do log in I will see if somebody was using my internet before, otherwise I will get it in the statement. :mad::D

 

It shows you how many minutes remain on whatever package you have or if you've gone over so you can tell at a glance if someone else was using it.

[Kentchikan]

I've heard that the reason that suite passengers no longer get free internet is that they let other people use their sign on. I don't know how true that is. I thought it was just another way for them to save money.