Amir is 100% correct about this. I recently had to upgrade my 13 year old Apple Powerbook G4 laptop and my 7 year old iPhone 3GS and it wasn't because either had failed in some way I couldn't fix myself, which would be incredibly unlikely. Either was still way more than capable of running anything I need more than fast enough too. These both are and have always been wonderfully capable devices and incredible values considering how long they've delivered on their initial promises. It was because neither could be upgraded with security software strong enough to be acceptable for anything that now requires this, WHICH SHOULD BE EVERYTHING! Backwards compatibility extending back to everything that could run otherwise current stuff is over. It should have been long ago.
The internet rules became very lax way back in the Netscape days as the competition between browsers to implement new and even better features became beyond stupid. And this wasn't really much of a departure from how most standards are implemented then or are today. In nearly every case, as standards are introduced, their initial implementation is rather incomplete as is usually necessary. Then as vendors update their drivers and software to work with the new standards as they're further defined and fine tuned, they eventually evolve into what they were designed and intended to be in the beginning. Quite often, things that worked fine on initial introduction are either locked out or disabled within an update or two until they too are updated properly.
The lax internet rules went on for way, way too long and have been being tightened up in many ways for years. The level of security breaches long ago reached the point of way beyond acceptable and something had to be done. Finally within the last few months, some of the more vulnerable areas just had to shut out everything that couldn't run acceptably secure applications because WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR ALL THE FRAUD THAT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INCUR BECAUSE OF THIS!
The problem is that everything else is only keeping up as it has to to stay operating. But this isn't good enough. As an example, by now probably everyones credit and debit cards have been updated with secure card chips. How many of us have used our cards anywhere where the type of POS terminals to implement this level of security have been installed except our banks? Me personally, none! I know that there is a deadline beyond which any merchants and vendors will be held responsible themselves for any fraudulent transactions they process. And, while some have payed up for this higher level of security already, many others haven't and likely won't until they incur costs that they determine are unreasonable.
The problem isn't just this. It's that there are a nearly infinite number of other places and opportunities for those inclined to to so to gather sensitive information about us. And there really isn't any effective mechanism to hold those responsible for the security of this to be held accountable.
Unfortunately, until this is done everywhere, none of us is really any more secure than we've ever been. So don't be fooled into thinking so. And yes, the recently upgraded password security might be a little inconvenient. But it's just one step along the road to actually having reasonably effective security someday. Things are never going to be like they used to be. This time I totally agree because it's all for the right reasons. Just like everyone else, I too am being dragged kicking and screaming into todays realities. Only this time I'm kicking and screaming for some entity to require that everything and everyone involved at any level be absolutely required to do this right now so that we can get it done and move on. There's no other way that we can be reasonably protected from ourselves. No matter what has been required in the past, there's always been way to many areas where we all do the minimum we have to to participate. This isn't good enough now and really never has been. And until there's something done about it, we'd all better do everything we can to encourage, Hell, demand it into reality.
Yeah, somebody is going to have to pay for all of this. The reality is that we all already are. There's no such thing as a free lunch and some things, such as this forum that we all enjoy is being paid for in many ways. In the end, we'll end up paying for certain things we now enjoy for free. Maybe it will be in another reasonably acceptable way. If not, some things will go away and rightfully so. Everything everywhere needs to implement secure access that meets todays requirements. The only exceptions that should ever be allowed must not have any way of gathering or allowing any sensitive and potentially misused information traffic.
Of course, everyone should voice their opinions on the subject. But personally, if you disagree, shut the fuck up because you just don't get it and probably never will. And it doesn't matter that for the most part, none of this is really any fault of our own. But we all need protection from those who seek to do harm for their own benefit and this is how nearly all of it happens any more. This is our security fence, bulletproof vest, taser, gun, police, justice system and prison. Admins, are you paying attention?