Option to disable "reveal password" in password field
OS: Debian SID
Gnome Shell version: 3.36.5
I tried using this feature for sometime. It seems to do more harm than good, in some corner cases.
-
With this feature, one always need to be alert of the usage of password fields, to make sure that the parent dialog gets closed. Some apps take some time to close the password dialog, and in the meantime, if the user moves away from his / her desktop, the security gets compromised.
-
I am facing [1] mostly in gnome-shell lock screen, where due to some bug, even after entering a password, the GtkSpinner keeps spinning for a long time, all the time having an option to reveal the password. An uninformed user would think the system is busy and may leave his desktop for a while, thinking the password is safe, but in reality the password is just a click away.
-
This feature is extremely useful in small devices ( mobiles / tablets ), where the keyboard touch space is limited, causing more frequent typos. And small devices have only 1 input device ( touch ). But, in desktop space, this feature might work against some uninformed users. Since there are 2 input devices ( keyboard and mouse ), the uninformed user might be typing his password slowly, watching his / her keyboard, while another user might reveal the password with a mouse. The user of wireless mouse makes this issue even more probable.
-
While [1] and [2], are individual app issues, and might get fixed, the user should still be given an option to disable this feature due to [3].
Thanks !