Security passwords

[Tashyboy]

Watching breakfast tv and they are saying make your passwords more difficult with lots of differant letters and words, capitals and other bits and bobs chucked in. Also don't use the same password for differant shops, banks etc etc.
So if I use a differant password every time, where do I store them ? my computer/ iPad. If that gets hacked all me passwords are history. There is no way I would remember X number of differant passwords. So where do you put them.

 

[Fish]

I use a cryptic name in my contact (phone) numbers for my cards, banks and anything else I need a password or pin number for, I use letters mixed in which are obvious to me only that once removed reveal or give me hint for that specific password, same with pins, I store a false telephone number that once I removed some specific numbers reveal my pin.

 

[srixon 1]

I use iPassword on my phone. Stores all my passwords securely.

 

[Foxholer]

I use iPassword on my phone. Stores all my passwords securely.

You hope!! Though I'm certain it does. What happens if you forget that password though?

There is never a 100% secure and foolproof method! All we can do is make it as secure and foolproof as possible/practical!

I have a couple of ids/passwords for the many apps/facilities where security isn't something I'm particularly concerned about - here for instance - but I'm much more careful for anywhere that has potential for loss of money! All (or certainly most) of those have notifications that involve some sort of interaction with either phone or email, so those 2 are the areas I am particularly careful about.

It's rather surprising, and perhaps a bit disturbing, how vital our email address is!

 

[Khamelion]

Never use a password like

B4n4n4 or G0lfM0nt#ly

they are to easy to break, stick with pass phrases

Maryhadalittlelamb becomes M4ry#4dal1ttl3Lamb%

Also avoid using passwords where only one thing changes like PingPong1 then PingPong2 etc...

 

[ManinBlack]

I'm seriously considering this

https://lastpass.com


At least you only have one password to remember & there's a provision for the password to be sent to your next of kin if you die (looking on the bright side)

 

[sawtooth]

Also you should use a long and complex pass phrase for your wireless encryption at home.

Imagine a neighbour or someone parked outside with a packet sniffer eavesdropping on everything you are doing on the wireless network? Not a nice thought.

 

[backwoodsman]

I use a combination of words, numbers, capital letters etc. And I have a document with cryptic clues to each password. "A french hotel with a cheese sandwich" as a for instance. They mean something only to me, and I very seriously doubt anyone would be able to work out what they were, even if they got hold of the document.

 

[Jimaroid]

What's a more secure password a or b?

a) ThisIsAReallyLongPasswordAndEasyToRemember
b) D1j%7a!*

It's not what you think it is.

 

[sawtooth]

What's a more secure password a or b?

a) ThisIsAReallyLongPasswordAndEasyToRemember
b) D1j%7a!*

It's not what you think it is.

I think a.

 

[sawtooth]

I guess the answer really depends if the long string is a commonly used phrase or not.

If it is then it will be in theory weaker than the shorter more complex password.

The problem with the short one is that it can be cracked more easily offline by brute force techniques ( trying every possible combination of characters).

 

[Hacker Khan]

N

I'm seriously considering this

https://lastpass.com


At least you only have one password to remember & there's a provision for the password to be sent to your next of kin if you die (looking on the bright side)

I've used lastpass for a long time now and whilst it does not pick up every website it is very good.

 

[Tashyboy]

Also you should use a long and complex pass phrase for your wireless encryption at home.

Imagine a neighbour or someone parked outside with a packet sniffer eavesdropping on everything you are doing on the wireless network? Not a nice thought.

Packet sniffer, I thought that was a dog sniffing round your crutch. What's a packet sniffer.

 

[Fish]

Packet sniffer, I thought that was a dog sniffing round your crutch. What's a packet sniffer.

I had to Google it also, bit scary really, wish I hadn't looked

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Always have complex passwords - mine are all stored within a DB i have on a portal device.

But no matter what passwords people pick if someone wanted to break into anyone's email account for example they will find a way.

 

[TheDiablo]

I use safe in cloud. Stores all passwords, memorable info, card details etc. That way I only need to remember 1 very complex password and I'm fine.

 

[sawtooth]

Packet sniffer, I thought that was a dog sniffing round your crutch. What's a packet sniffer.

It's basically a bit of software that is usually used for troubleshooting issues with computer networks. Your data as it traverses any network will be broken up into small pieces ( data packets).

Obviously on a wired network these packets are only captured when a computer is physically connected to that network. With a wireless network however these packets can be heard and captured by anyone near your home. That is why encryption is so important. Hackers can capture the packets but cannot make any sense of the encrypted payload unless they can crack the key to decipher it.

With open/insecure networks your data is there to see in plain text. Anyone could read your email, see what sites you have visited, etc etc

 

[Jimaroid]

I guess the answer really depends if the long string is a commonly used phrase or not.

If it is then it will be in theory weaker than the shorter more complex password.

The problem with the short one is that it can be cracked more easily offline by brute force techniques ( trying every possible combination of characters).

Yep, length is better (settle down, Finbar). Provided it's not a silly phrase like passwordpasswordpasswordpassword it might take thousands of years to brute force a 30 character readable phrase compared to less than a day for 8 characters of random letters.

Human's think "@$gj8dQ" is complex but computers don't. All you're doing with a password like that is making your own life difficult remembering gibberish and typing it in.

The problem is really a human one. Nobody would ever feel comfortable making their banking password something like "GuessThisCombinationElephantsNeverWill" because humans are conditioned to believe that obscurity is security when it isn't.

 

[Hobbit]

I use Gandalf for everything, followed by my age. No one gets it as they struggle to believe I'm only 33.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

I use Gandalf for everything, followed by my age. No one gets it as they struggle to believe I'm only 33.

Is that 33 in dog years Bri?