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How many attempts do you get for my eyes only?

How many attempts do you get for my eyes only?

The number of attempts allowed for accessing sensitive information labeled “For Your Eyes Only” depends on the specific system or application containing the information. Many systems have security policies that lock out users after a certain number of failed login attempts to prevent unauthorized access.

Common Practices for Limiting Access Attempts

Here are some typical practices for limiting access attempts to sensitive “For Your Eyes Only” type information:

  • Email and Messaging Apps: After 5-10 failed passcode attempts, the app will lockdown and require a reset.
  • Banking and Financial Apps: Commonly 3-5 failed login attempts before the account is temporarily locked out.
  • Security Systems: Usually only 1-3 attempts before the system locks down and requires a manual reset.
  • Encrypted Drives/Files: After a set number of wrong password attempts (e.g. 10), the drive will lock and data may be deleted.
  • Social Media: Normally anywhere from 5-50 invalid login attempts result in a temporary lockout.

So in summary, while the exact limit varies, 3-10 failed access attempts is typical before stronger account security measures kick in.

Factors That Determine Attempt Limits

Some key factors that influence how many login attempts are allowed include:

  • Level of sensitivity – More sensitive systems tend to have lower attempt limits.
  • Account security features – Accounts with multifactor authentication can sometimes allow more attempts.
  • Temporary vs permanent lockout – Allowing more attempts but temporarily locking the account can balance security and convenience.
  • Frequency of attempts – Bursts of invalid attempts in a short timeframe often trigger quicker lockouts.
  • IP tracking – Attempts from unknown IP locations can prompt earlier locks compared to “trusted” IPs.

Organizations have to balance account security against the inconvenience of getting locked out. For extremely sensitive systems like healthcare records, 1-2 failed attempts before a lockout is common. For consumer apps and websites, 5+ attempts helps avoid mistaken lockouts.

How Password Attempts Are Tracked

Here are some ways that password attempts and limits are technically enforced:

  • Count failed login attempts – Simple counter that increments with each wrong password entry.
  • Track frequency of attempts – Monitor rate in addition to absolute number to detect rapid guessing.
  • Block after time limit – Prevent repeated attempts within a time window e.g. 5 tries every 10 minutes.
  • IP address monitoring – Detect logins from unknown/suspicious locations.
  • Security questions – Asking randomly generated security questions after X failures.
  • Multifactor authentication – Require a 2nd factor login code after a certain number of fails.

Advanced systems go beyond simple attempt counting and look at other signals like IP patterns to catch malicious login behavior while minimizing impact on regular users.

What Happens After Too Many Failed Attempts

Here are some common temporary lockout policies after too many failed login attempts:

  • Short lockout time – Block for 5-15 minutes to discourage immediate guessing.
  • Exponential lockouts – Progressively longer lockouts like 5 min, 15 min, 1 hour to deter repeated hammering.
  • Day lockouts – Prevent any logins for 24 hours after a set number of attempts.
  • Permanent disabling – For the most sensitive accounts, permanent lockout may occur until manually reset.
  • Additional authentication – Require confirmation via email, SMS code, security questions for re-entry.

The goal is to balance preventing unauthorized access with avoiding unnecessary lockouts due to forgotten passwords or simple user mistakes.

How to Avoid Getting Locked Out

Here are some tips users can follow to avoid getting locked out of important accounts:

  • Use a password manager – This avoids forgotten passwords and reduces mistakes by filling codes automatically.
  • Enable two-factor authentication – Adding a second credential like a text code helps confirm identity.
  • Don’t attempt logins on public networks – Typing passwords on unsecured WiFi increases risk.
  • Watch for reset prompts – Some systems will require a reset after a certain number of attempts.
  • Use device lockouts – Having your device require a PIN or fingerprint to unlock can prevent unauthorized access attempts.

Being aware of account security policies, using strong unique passwords, and limiting login attempts on insecure networks can help avoid triggering temporary lockouts.

How Companies Set Attempt Limit Policies

Companies go through the following process to determine appropriate failed attempt limits:

  1. Classify data sensitivity – More sensitive accounts warrant stronger security.
  2. Assess threat landscape – Understand important attack vectors like credential stuffing.
  3. Model attack scenarios – Simulate attack patterns to quantify risk.
  4. Survey industry standards – Reference established standards and guidelines.
  5. Pilot policies – Test limits on sample accounts to gauge effectiveness.
  6. Set baseline limits – Start with conservative limits that can be relaxed later if needed.
  7. Review metrics regularly – Analyze lockout rates to adjust policies over time.

Key metrics like invalid login attempt frequency, lockout rates, and user feedback help guide policy tuning over time. Limits start strict and become more flexible as real-world data is collected.

How Users Can Reset Their Account After Lockout

If a user gets locked out from too many failed attempts, here are some common ways to regain account access:

  • Temporary lockout expiration – Just wait out the lockout period (e.g. 1 hour) before retrying.
  • Reset password – Use “Forgot password” flow via email or security question confirmation.
  • Unlock request – Contact customer support to review request and manually unlock.
  • Secondary authorization – Validate identity via phone, backup email, mailing address.
  • Force reset – For sensitive systems, an admin has to force reset credentials.

The exact reset procedure depends on the system, but unlocking via confirmed secondary channels is common. This balances security by ensuring the user has valid account ownership.

Best Practices for Securing Account Access

In summary, some best practices for securing sensitive account access include:

  • Enabling secondary authentication factors like biometrics or security keys.
  • Using randomly generated passwords unique for each account.
  • Limiting login attempts on public unsecured networks.
  • Being aware of increasing security prompts after multiple failures.
  • Having backup reset procedures via confirmed email or phone.

Carefully following account security guidance, using modern access protections like multifactor authentication, and having reliable reset procedures can help maximize login security while minimizing unwanted lockout disruptions.

Conclusion

The number of allowed login attempts before lockout varies substantially based on data sensitivity, security protocols, and convenience considerations. For highly confidential data, 1-3 attempts with permanent disabling is common. For consumer websites and apps, 5-10 attempts with temporary lockouts balances security and usability. The most effective policies follow industry standards, model attack scenarios, and leverage metrics to guide policy tuning over time. With proper security precautions and backup reset options, users can avoid the inconvenience of mistyped password lockouts while still maintaining strong protection against brute force credential attacks.