There are some usernames that shouldn\'t be allowed to register on online servic

Question

There are some usernames that shouldn't be allowed to register on online services, for example:

administrator, admin, root, system, owner, hostmaster, webmaster, sitename or sitenameadmin

As far as I know, those shouldn't be allowed because they might cause a security risk, due to users registering those usernames might be able to impersonate a website official, and some users might be fooled by this.

http://example.com/administrator
administrator@example.com

Where can I find a list of all those usernames that shouldn't be allowed to register by anonymous users?

Explanation / Answer

This is really the wrong solution to the problem: trying to prohibit "administrator"-like names will become a constant game of whack-a-mole with increasingly creative impersonators.

A blacklist of official-sounding names can be a starting point, but you should also provide an easy way to positively identify admins, such as a unique naming pattern (only admins can register a username ending in "(admin)"), or displaying their names or messages in a unique color.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse T
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.