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PC utilities: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords
- 2/27/09 4:58 PM
Roboform, 1passwd, and common sense
by briegull - 2/28/09 5:55 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I agree that Roboform is great for the PC. 1passwd (also free to try, cheap to buy) is similar for the mac, and works across all browsers, which is nice. I also use Firefox and have it remember passwords. But: it's also important to use common sense in CHOOSING passwords.
There is absolutely no rule that you have to have different passwords for every site you access!! What you DO need is to have a few passwords that you use on all the sites. An eight-character password with a number embedded in it will work on almost any site.
I have a password that is sortof my default password, a word that I can remember (an unusual pet's name) which wouldn't be too difficult to figure out if you knew me but otherwise wouldn't occur to you. This password is used for all the simple sites that I access where financial data is not needed, where I'm just reading or posting to web groups or browsing sites where I'll go to a secure credit card transaction if need be.
I have another password which is not written down or stored in roboform or ipasswd, but which is easy for me to remember, and which is used on financial sites. I never use it on any other kind of site.
In 20+ years of using the internet I've never had a compromised account.
Out of control
by shanedr - 2/28/09 5:58 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The password issue has gone to the extremes. The biggest threat to passwords is that people are supposed to have so many they can no longer remember them. The solution (?) is to write them down or use a software program to remember them. There has even been a few novel attempts to use a way of calculating the password based upon the websites type, name and function.
The trouble is and will continue to be that any password that is written down or otherwise recorded is no longer secure. That includes procedures for calculating passwords.
The only secure password is the one that is memorized. Which immediately places limits on how many passwords the individual can remember. Unfortunately too many so-called security experts do not realize this. The best solution is to have unusual passwords but few of them. The problem is those so-called security experts have so many rules for passwords they actually result in insecure passwords. I recently had one of my banking websites change their passwords, requiring that a number be somewhere in between letters. That idea begged users to format a password from a phrase. Common or even not-so common phrases can be deciphered. Needless to say I no longer have an account with that institution.
A real solution are passwords utilizing longer words (8 or more characters), preferably with one or more numbers, are the best and the most secure. Unfortunately the best passwords are frequently forbidden by those who decide password requirements. These so-called experts believe that there should be a password for every site, i.e., record them.
So my solution is to avoid sites with ridiculous password requirements. Let the power of the marketplace decide what password requirements are valid and which are ridiculously insecure.
Password manager and generator
by hogan - 2/28/09 5:59 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Firefox is more secure than IE, so I would recommend you move to that. There are several add ons which can generate as well as store and permit you to move passwords and some are available for IE. A key scrambler can also help your protection.
Sxipper is handy too.
You can find them through the download section of cnet.
Be sensible about passwords and manage them carefully
by David Harris LH - 2/28/09 6:00 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It's interesting that most of the responses to this question that I've sampled point to technical solutions. Here is my (mainly non-technical) approach:
I have one 'non-critical' password that I use for virtualy everything. The vast majority of sites need a minimal level of security and I'm not worried if people get into these sites: I never store credit card or bank information, entering this every time.
I have a small number of passwords for critical applications: banking, e-mail, web site ftp access.
All my passwords have a number somewhere in them - often a month number.
If I save any of these in a machine-readable form, I use an obscure name for the filename: a file called 'passwords' even if encrypted is asking for trouble
remembering passwords
by spearsall1 - 2/28/09 6:01 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
just use the same password or maybe just 2 variations of the same characters
Lock Box
by w2imo - 2/28/09 6:05 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use Coffee Cup LockBox. This is a program that installs on your computer. You access it using one password that you will remember. You then build your list. You can also copy it to a flash drive and have your list backed up and/or use it on another PC or laptop. The price is $19.00 with a free trial if you wish. See www.coffeecup.com.
Managing passwords
by edtalkingbird09 - 2/28/09 6:06 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had the same problem until I met a sly little program called roboform. Roboform remembers all my passwords and I just have to remember the one password I give to roboform. When I try to enter a protected site, roboform asks for its own password. it then supplies the needed password automatically. There is a free trial version available.
simple password protected spreadsheet
by djFLWB - 2/28/09 6:08 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There are a number of software programs available out there for managing passwords.
I use a simple method, keep a spreadsheet of user names, passwords and any other relevant data. The spreadsheet is password protected. It makes it very easy copy and paste login names and passwords. I keep it on a USB flash drive that makes it portable and can be used anywhere. Make sure your flash drive is password protected you don't want to lose that and give someone else access to all your info.
You'll only need to remember two passwords. The drive and the spreadsheet. For security's sake make sure they are different from each other.
Managing password
by terry jackman - 2/28/09 6:20 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I find what has helped us, is an address book. I have one that has binder type pages so more pages can be added. All web sites can be listed in alphabet order and passwords right under them.
manage passwords
by jeepster - 2/28/09 6:22 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The best password manager is Roboform. Go to: http://www.electric-warrior.co.uk/Roboform_Password_Manager.html for your free trial. There are two levels of encryption available and you can backup your passwords to floppy or usb pen drive in case of disaster. Simply re-install Roboform and restore from floppy/usb. Also includes Safenotes. I use this for storing my program keys etc. Hope this helps.
Remembering Passwords
by hefty49 - 2/28/09 6:24 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have heard of Password Managers but haven't looked into one. Likely a password will be required to access this type of program. 
What I do is simple and I need to "remember" only ONE password. I have created a word document on my pc which I password protect through the security option. In the word document I list (in alphabetical order) the names of all sites that require passwords followed by the password for that site. IMPORTANT: Be sure to have this document backed up in case of hard drive failure.
multi boot
by ramex_billa - 2/28/09 6:27 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi....
can u plz get me the procedure for multi boot for winxp
system confi:
os: vista home premium
make:hp
ram:2gb
model:dv6120
PAssword Management
by lootduty - 2/28/09 6:27 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I suggest the following
One PW for critical accounts like banking, credit cards.
One other PW for all other accounts. Select a password that is 8 characters long with at least one capitalized letter and one number. This way 90% of websites will accept this password.
A few sites only accept 4 or 6 characters. (Just use the first 4 or 6 characters of your main PW)
I don't know much about PW managers but I wouldn't think they are safe if you get a virus/spyware.
Hope this helps,
Remembering passwords
by pemason - 2/28/09 6:28 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Look at Roboform by Siber Systems it works great and can remember 100s of login id and passwords as well as the web address. It will even genrate passwords if you want. You sent one master password so your info is safe from others using the same computer.
Secure Thumb Drive
by skimps - 2/28/09 6:35 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been keeping all my passwords in a file on removable media for years, starting with floppies. I don't store passwords on my computer in any form, except for the logins. These days passwords reside on Kingston BlackBoxes. These drives are fairly inexpensive for what they are, but if you are prone to losing or misplacing things, it may not be the correct solution for you. Although I have never lost a thumb drive, I have two Kingstons just in case--one stored in another location for backup. (And since I have never lost a thumbdrive, my collection is getting rather unwieldly--that should be the subject of another discussion if it hasn't already been addressed: what to do with old thumbdrives, how to safely and greenly dispose of them.)
Of course, I don't have to tell you not to name your file "passwords" and not to have it be the only thing on the drive/media. Dump a bunch of useless crud on there with it.
I am subject to the irresponsible/untrustworthy types here. If I had a malicious/untrustworthy type on the premises, the only thing I could do is deny physical access as much as possible. Probably have to buy a safe.
It seems a desktop or online password safe is your best bet, but nothing is safe if a malicious user has actual physical access to your computer or removable media. And even a irresponsible one can wreak havoc. You can limit the havoc a bit by setting up a special account for them with limited rights and privileges. If you don't know how to do this, have a tech support person do it or google it. It will only take a few minutes. Don't let them use your account.
However, if you are married/partnered and you are the one doing the online banking, billpaying, etc, you MUST make sure that your spouse/partner has your passwords or access to your password safe. You can keep a copy with your lawyer or with your executor, if you have made a will, or simply give your spouse/partner a copy to keep in a safe place. Although there are numerous programs for recovering or revealing passwords (not necessarily legal), not having timely access to important financial or legal data and websites is unecessarily stressful for survivors and a big time-waster. And young people, although you never believe that you are going to die anytime soon, consider keeping a copy of your passwords with your parents or someone you trust.
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