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PC utilities: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords
- 2/27/09 4:58 PM
Password Manager
by gordios777-websites - 3/14/09 1:40 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have developed a system which has kept my passwords and usernames safe for seven years now.
Even if my total PC crashes and burns, this data remains safe on the internet, in files which are only accessible using my password and user name for that site.
I'm not going to spell it out here...just what I need: hackers trying out a new challenge.
I'll simply say, whatever system you use:
1. Make sure you are storing to the internet OR a rewritable CD/DVD. Keep the info OFF of your PC.
2. Check out the bundle services provided by different ISP's and free email services. Think creatively. When you figure out what to do, make sure your file has a name that doesn't give it away...like, "the study of spiders and hormones"
3. Something I don't do but could do is to save my info in a "draft" email on the internet. When I want to edit the "file", I could open the email, edit, then save as a draft again.
I've had bad luck with PCU's crapping out over the years, but my passwords have never been lost. Don't depend on Firefox. In a crash, those passwords will be lost when reformatting your drive.
Apple Iphone, Palm and secret
by petrball - 3/14/09 1:56 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have used a palm for many years and found a great app that worked on the Palm and and desktop called secret (http://linkesoft.com/). Its brilliant and I understand from the developer it will be available for the iphone soon.
Roboform
by Fatboy71 - 3/14/09 2:24 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The problem I have heard with Roboform is that its Firefox Adaptor is not compatible with the very latest versions of Firefox.
Willy
by lm27 - 3/14/09 2:38 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Ey man what i really do to remember my passwords i use only one and if i have to mix it with numbers i just put the pass that i use and put a number at the end maybe u too should try it man but i don't know its better than having different passwords cause it don't think about one thing all the time but keep me posted when it works on lm27@in.com
Trust the net? sounds risky..
by lockerridge - 3/14/09 3:22 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have several different sites which are anal about what I can use for a password and I have found that if somebody really wants into my personal stuff.. they can do it without too much sweat on their part. The more security they design to keep our personal info private the more the hackers delight in breaking into it.
I have a free account with a website called Divshare
http://www.divshare.com/tour
Their security is pretty good.. you have a password to enter the site and access your account and you have the extra option of adding a password to each file you upload to the site.
The best way I have found to keep track of my passwords is to create a file with using simple little ole Wordpad with my list of sites and passwords and then I cut it from Wordpad and paste it into a jpg file using Paint, save it temporarily to the My Pictures file then upload it to this web site, using a password on that file to reinforce the security on it. Immediately I delete the jpg file from the My Pictures file. This way I only have to actually keep in my memory those two passwords.
I am not someone who trusts the internet security if you don't keep an eye on things closely, so I change the passwords every month when I defrag my hard drive, or my security catches a wooly worm trying to get into my computer from email or a website. I set aside some time on the first of the month to do preventive maintenance on my pc and while it is doing the clean up I can open up wordpad and then my paint without bothering its operation. Routine prevention by changing them out is the best defense against losing your stuff to a demon online.
Good luck.. I really feel sorry for you friend.. I sincerely do.
Flash Drive
by bigpapabearbrad - 3/14/09 3:30 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
A friend of mine says put your key words in a file in your flash drive for the most protection. In this way when you go from site to site your key words are always with you and not on your pc for others to find. After all if it's not connected to your pc how can they get your info?
Answer, they can't!
Why so much passwords ?
by Sheitan86 - 3/14/09 3:35 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Either keep your password count low enough to be able to remember them or eat fish, it's a good memory booster.
Works for me
by Tiggersspring - 3/14/09 3:43 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been using Norton 360 for quite a while now, with of course the add on pack, and that has a built in ID safe that stores all your passwords securely and will also log you in automatically if you want to any site you have visited. I don't know who else has any views on using Norton but I have found it to be very reliable.
I've used SplashID for years....
by genglish - 3/14/09 3:48 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've used SplashID (www.splashdata.com) and kept my passwords synced to my PDA for years, since my Palm days. Now I use an iPhone, and they have a version for that as well as many other portable devices (Windows Mobile, Blackberry, etc.).
I keep my passwords in sync with my desktop PC, and every month backup to my network hard drive, then my other PCs can use the desktop-only version of SplashID to restore the backup and have access on all my PCs as well as my iPhone. I enter any new/changed userids/passwords either on my iPhone or my "main" PC, sync often, and for all other PCs just restore from the backup every month to stay in sync.
The SplashID password database is password protected itself and also encrypted. It doesn't fill in forms like Roboform, but I'm a little leary of programs that do that anyway -- rather have my passwords in a separate database not linked to any browser.
I also have a system for remembering userids/passwords, but with different sites requiring different combinations of letters, numbers, uppercase, lowercase, etc., it isn't foolproof, so I need SplashID. Most sites usually lock you out after 3 bad attempts, so after 1 or 2 tries at remembering, I open SplashID.
Password Management
by westgate - 3/14/09 4:30 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use a core password, with a few variations, for almost everything. I post on line a list of my sites and memberships. The web page includes a link to each site, the username, and hint to the password. The page also has the hints to the passwords for work and home hardware, etc. This method works perfectly because I can get this info from any internet connected computer. I have a paper version and some files on my computers with password info but I use mostly the on-line version. Exceptions are anything financial / legal which I have memorized.
crib sheet method
by jolysmoke - 3/14/09 4:32 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
For those who like crossword puzzles etc. it is advisable to have a crib-sheet that will give clues as to your passwords, so you can jog your memory without letting anyone else realize that you have a coded list of password numbers with you. This means you can put them on your computer without password protection, or carry them around in a file or notebook. The clues, I mean, not the whole password.
This requires an example. Suppose you have a Yahoo Mail account and your password, let's say, is apple99.
The 99 happens to be chosen because your cat was born in 1999.
As a clue in your file or paper notebook you could write:
"Gulliver said that Eve cattily gave birth to male sin."
On the face of this, it looks a pretty harmless piece of information, referring to someone blaming Eve for the origin of original sin.
But Eve and Sin will make you think of the apple. The word Yahoo comes from a people in Gulliver's Travels, and the word male reminds you of Mail. Cattily gave birth reminds you of the birth year of your cat. As this is pretty personal info, few people will know that date.
By the way, I would not recommend a password as easy as the above for any site containing serious info. But it serves to illustrate the crossword clue method.
Firefox + Xmarks(formely known as foxmarks)
by mido_25 - 3/14/09 5:11 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I just use the firefox password manager and then let Xmarks backup up my passwords and bookmarks online. try xmarks it's great!
Password Management - Ironkey
by mmangan - 3/14/09 5:28 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use Ironkey. Not only does it manage my passwords, but it does so on an encrypted thumbdrive and it logs me in automatically to any of the sites I've stored on it.
manage passwords
by ostewbeef - 3/14/09 5:36 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
What I have done is put all my user names and password on a spread sheet along with the sites that they go to and I then save the spread sheet with my own password to a removeable media. I make two copies that way I can leave one right next to my computer and one under lock and key or safe. So when I need a specific username and password I open the spreadsheet locate the one I need and I'm all set. You'd be amazed at how many passwords you may have. I have 83 different acccounts and sites and files.
I use TK8safe
by frenzl - 3/14/09 5:40 AM In reply to: Help! I'm at my wits end trying to manage my passwords by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This program does it all for me. I'm not familiar with roboform, but it has all of the same features, including one of my favorites, the ability to run it from a portable disk without installation. I can't live without it.
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