Password masking is the familiar practice of hiding the password characters – as entered by the user – behind bullets (●), asterisks (*), or similar camouflaging characters.
Understanding Password Masking
When you type your password into a login field, you typically see a series of dots or asterisks instead of the actual letters, numbers, or symbols you are typing. This visual substitution is known as password masking. Its primary function is to conceal your sensitive login credentials as you type them.
How Password Masking Works
The process is straightforward from a user's perspective:
- As each character of the password is typed, the system immediately replaces its visual display with a placeholder character.
- Common placeholder characters include:
- Bullets (●)
- Asterisks (*)
- Other similar symbols
This happens in real-time, so the full, readable password is never displayed on the screen after you finish typing a character.
Why Password Masking is Important
Beyond simply being a common interface element, password masking serves a crucial security purpose. As mentioned in the reference, it protects users from shoulder surfing attack vectors.
- Shoulder Surfing: This is a low-tech method where an attacker looks over the user's shoulder to observe their password being entered.
- Protection: By masking the characters, even if someone is watching your screen, they cannot read the actual password you are typing.
This simple visual technique significantly enhances privacy and security, especially in public or shared environments.
While password masking doesn't protect against all forms of attack (like malware that logs keystrokes), it is a fundamental and effective defense against direct visual observation of passwords.
