Computer Question

L.,

I am a software trainer and security administrator for my workplace. Here are a few things I have picked up through the years. First, create a GOOD password. If you use a name or a word in the dictionary, a hacker can pick that up and decipher it in less than 60 seconds (ex: austin). If you use a combination of capital and lower-case letters and insert numbers and/or symbols, the time it takes increases to several hours (ex: @ustinTX). The first example, austin = about 60 seconds, while @ustinTX = several hours. Usually a hacker will just move on to someone that did not pick a good password rather than wait several hours to hack in. The austin/@ustinTX example is just a simple example. Beef that up a little more by adding more characters (usually a minimum of 8), string words together, add numbers and more symbols and you'll have yourself a great password.

I think one person mentioned having a mnemonic or key phrase for every password. That is a great idea!

Most techies will tell you to keep your passwords in a completely separate location from your computer. That is most definitely the most secure thing you can do. This annoys alot of people, so I've seen some folks create a password protected document either in Word or Excel and then create a short name that most likely only you would understand and then a hint or clue for what the password is. They key to adopting a system like this is (a) you must remember the password to get into the document and (b) you must remember to update the document every time you change your password. Now, keep in mind this is NOT the most secure thing to do. Someone who knows what they are doing could potentially hack in or even steal your laptop or PC and gain access to that document, but in most cases that is a safer bet than keeping your passwords on a sticky note next to your monitor.

You may also want to consider encrypting your computer, in case someone else got a hold of your PC.

Hope this helps!

4 moms found this helpful

I dont know if its the best or safest but has worked pretty good for me, I have 2 username and passwords I choose from they have at least 1 number, and 1 capital letter, and I change them every 3 months.
Good Luck!

2 moms found this helpful

How I do it is
1) have a mnemonic or key phrase for (and with) every password I use,
2) note a short name for the site or account name (eBay would be just "bay"),
3) short-hand my username, and
4) write only a hint for the mnemonic or phrase for the pw

These I keep on a note card in my calendar wallet. The hints don't mean anything to anyone else. Just to give an example (one I don't use), say I chose the phrase "Mary had a little lamb" and that, to me, helps me remember the password: Mhali55l (where 5 is above the 't' on the keyboard), then I could write down " bay myinitials Mary's lamb ". Now I know which account, that the username is the special one I made which uses my initials and which password.

It is key to keep the actual account name, number, or id away from the information spelling out the passwords.

I work with computers all the time and I don't have just one bank account _and_ I'm the "accountant" of this household.

I DON'T trust my password in ANY email. I DON'T trust to have my computer remember the password and I don't put them on a flash drive.

Keeping to a very few "favorite" passwords helps. I know that it helps in the long run if I make myself memorize what I can of which accounts have which password. I found, one time, that when I decided have my computer memorize my IM account password, I couldn't remember it when I was visiting my mom's and wanted to IM on her computer! LOL (Her computer, of course, didn't have my "Remembered" password.)

Choose what works for you and stay aware of your vunerabilities.

2 moms found this helpful

I don't know if this is the 'best' way but what I do is that when a site sends me a confirmation of my account information and password, I save it in my email under a special folder. For the sites that don't send confirmations, I send myself an email with the site name, login, and password. I maintain my email account on a daily basis so it makes sense to me that all of that info would be in this password protected, central location in case I forget the passwords. Another idea is to put the info on a sheet that you keep in your home firesafe.

2 moms found this helpful

I have 3 different user names and 3 different passwords that I choose from - keeps it simple and easy to remember. If I happen not too remember and one doesn't work, I try another - works every time.

2 moms found this helpful

I have a file on a flash drive that has a word document with the websites, my user names and passwords. My flash drive has a password on it (in case it ever gets stolen). The flash drive stays next to my computer.

I don't know that it's the safest way, but it has worked fine for me for 5 years. I like the idea of a book though that the other poster mentioned. I might move to that instead!

2 moms found this helpful

When I can, I use similar user names & passwords as much as I can. I rely on memory for some, but I have also started to write some of them down in a safe place.

2 moms found this helpful

make a spreadsheet and store it on you computer

1 mom found this helpful

We keep a password protected file with all the passwords. That way we only have to remember the one. You could also use a trick like moving around letters in a way only you know.
Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

I'm a computer idiot, so I have mine on a file card in a drawer next to my keyboard. My hubby uses it to check his bank balance, and I need it to remember all the different #s and letters. Very 20th century, oh well.

1 mom found this helpful

Although the experts say not to do this, one suggestion is use the same or similar passwds w/just a bit of variation, something that you will remember. Also, what you can do is email them to yourself if you set up a temp secondary email or your significant other can email it to you, an email w/all your passwds in it & that way, you can retrieve one at any time. You could also save it in a word document somewhere on your computer but I feel that can be lost at anytime so I think if you want to use different passwds, email it to yourself. Hope this helps! Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I have an address book (I think they have "internet address" books now) and I write down the website (alphabetically), my user name and password. It's easy and great if I need to travel- I just have my book with me and don't have to worry about trying to remember my passwords or not being on my computer with my saved pass words.
R.

1 mom found this helpful

Make a list with user ids and passwords and store in email account as a note or drafted email.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi L., I know how you feel. I do not have the computer save any of mine. If you got a virus or someone hacked in, they would have full access. I put them all down in an index card "rolodex/notebook". Its a small binder thing and I just flip it open when I need it. I keep it beside the computer in between some pencil holders and stuff to disguise it and not make it obvious. In the front of it I put all my email contacts info.... then I skip to the back and put all the other important info, so if someone does open it they will only think its email addys. Works for me... Its only a couple of $ at Walmart....Good luck.....

1 mom found this helpful

I have two user names.... and two passwords. Sometimes I have to try them all to get it right but any more than that makes you get all lost. The idea of having them written down or saved on your pc is really not a good idea.

1 mom found this helpful

L.,

The question is, how often do you use them and need access to them? If you store them on paper, it can get lost or stolen. If you store them on your hard-drive, others can access them if you don't have a password to protect it (then you might forget that one and all the others are lost - defeat that purpose huh!. Well I would suggest use ONE major number/letter/character type password for everything to keep it simple and store that away in your memory and keep a HINT of what it might be somewhere where you consider "safe" and easy access so you can remember.

1 mom found this helpful

I would disagree with the person who said only 2 user names and passwords. If either of them are discovered, a hacker could get everything with just a little info.
We keep our stuff in an excel spreadsheet in computer and backed up on a disc and disc in safe. It (the spreadsheet) is password protected & has a name only known to my husband and me. hint: it's not titled: passwords....
My husband is in the computer field and believes our method is the hardest for hacking/ misuse.

1 mom found this helpful

i know some that use there address book to keep them in. i try to use only about three different ones.

1 mom found this helpful

I have two sets of two digit numbers. I'll use the first set first, then type in the name (or first word if the name is long or even the initials), then the last two numbers. So, for example, my amazon.com password could be 12amazon34 and another company's password could be 12htm34. I keep the first two and last two numbers the same but change the middle to suit the company.
Write it down anyway.

I would NEVER make a file for this info and store it on my computer!! You could store it on a jumpdrive. I used to have a small notebook that I stored everything in but gave up on that. Now, I just do a password recovery for sites I am accessing that day. I don't have enough brain memory to remember them all.
What I do is look around my desk or office, find an object and then add symbols/numbers to it.

I use a small wire card (recipe) and keep it in my desk)
several friends do the same thing and it work for me also.