creekland Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Dear Internet Company, Of course my new password is "weak" as you put it. I'm getting older and can't remember a moderate or strong one. Why in the world do you think I need to come up with a new one now? I haven't used the old one in four months. That's way too long to remember anything OTHER than a weak one. I'm happy that I can remember my day to day things. But thanks for the reminder. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I write mine down in a notebook. Maybe not awesome security, but yeah I can't remember 100,000 passwords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Get lastpass. We just did. Then you only have to remember one (really good) password. I can send you an invite for a free month. Our IT security guy friend recommended it to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Try a whole phrase or sentence. It's much easier to remember, and it's colossally more difficult to break. Something like, "In grade 4 my teacher's name was Mrs. Drabble." Is almost impossible to crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Try a whole phrase or sentence. It's much easier to remember, and it's colossally more difficult to break. Something like, "In grade 4 my teacher's name was Mrs. Drabble." Is almost impossible to crack. I have an account that only accepts the first 8 characters, and when I type my phrase like Ingrade4myteacher'sname it counts it as wrong because anything past the 4 screws it up. This annoys me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I take a phrase from a book or show I enjoy and then use the first letter. Here's an example: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family" - Barney And it becomes: Ilyylmwahf-B It has capital letters, lowercase, and a non-letter character. And if the quote has "to" in it, I might use "2" so it has a number too. ETA: Just to clarify, I do not enjoy this show. At least, not since I was 4. :-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 This drove me crazy when I worked at the university. They made people change their passwords every thirty days and they weren't allowed to reuse them. Most professors just took to writing them on a post-it on their desk or monitor. That made things super secure :confused1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Oh, don't get me started! My favorite are the ones that threaten to lock me out forever if I need more than 3 tries to guess my freakin password. The one they forced me to change it to because the last 4 passwords expired. And if I don't get it on the 3rd try, an extremely time-sensitive client transaction won't happen. Argh!!! I don't write them all out on a piece of paper or spreadsheet because I thought that kind of defeats the purposes. And besides, then I would have to remember where the paper was. And what about when I'm working remotely? I'm supposed to carry that paper everywhere? That's real safe .... So I have to remember, which bank required me to include a "symbol character" and did I combine that with suffix __ or suffix __? I am definitely getting too old for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 This drove me crazy when I worked at the university. They made people change their passwords every thirty days and they weren't allowed to reuse them. Most professors just took to writing them on a post-it on their desk or monitor. That made things super secure :confused1: Yep. DH has a university email address and is constantly annoyed by the requirement to update his password. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 In one case, I *knew* what the password was, but the site wouldn't recognize it. I finally decided I must be wrong, and requested a new password. When I went to use the familiar one, it told me I couldn't change it to the same password. :confused1: :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Oh, don't get me started! My favorite are the ones that threaten to lock me out forever if I need more than 3 tries to guess my freakin password. The one they forced me to change it to because the last 4 passwords expired. . Then you have to call because you're locked out. Ugh!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 I write mine down in a notebook. Maybe not awesome security, but yeah I can't remember 100,000 passwords. I have some written down. This one is now too. There's no way I'll remember it next time I'm ordering books for my college guys. Get lastpass. We just did. Then you only have to remember one (really good) password. I can send you an invite for a free month. Our IT security guy friend recommended it to us I'm not trusting enough to give any online company access to everything - esp with all the companies that have been hacked. I can remember those I use often, just not these that are getting used once per semester or so. Try a whole phrase or sentence. It's much easier to remember, and it's colossally more difficult to break. Something like, "In grade 4 my teacher's name was Mrs. Drabble." Is almost impossible to crack. Uh, for me, shorter is better. I'd be the one to forget which 4th grade teacher's name I used - or to forget her name when I needed it even if I remembered which one I used. I take a phrase from a book or show I enjoy and then use the first letter. Here's an example: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family" - Barney And it becomes: Ilyylmwahf-B It has capital letters, lowercase, and a non-letter character. And if the quote has "to" in it, I might use "2" so it has a number too. ETA: Just to clarify, I do not enjoy this show. At least, not since I was 4. :-P Ok, that's really not happening here! Neat concept though, but I'd be having to write down the sentence and then staring at it trying to remember if I used the 2 or not. This drove me crazy when I worked at the university. They made people change their passwords every thirty days and they weren't allowed to reuse them. Most professors just took to writing them on a post-it on their desk or monitor. That made things super secure :confused1: Our school assigns a nonsense one to each of us. Fortunately, they haven't changed mine (or made me change it) in at least 4 years now. Even then, sometimes I enter it incorrectly when I get in a brain fog, but at least that's rare with daily use. I've seen teachers have theirs written down somewhere on their desk, so I'm not alone! Oh, don't get me started! My favorite are the ones that threaten to lock me out forever if I need more than 3 tries to guess my freakin password. The one they forced me to change it to because the last 4 passwords expired. And if I don't get it on the 3rd try, an extremely time-sensitive client transaction won't happen. Argh!!! I don't write them all out on a piece of paper or spreadsheet because I thought that kind of defeats the purposes. And besides, then I would have to remember where the paper was. And what about when I'm working remotely? I'm supposed to carry that paper everywhere? That's real safe .... So I have to remember, which bank required me to include a "symbol character" and did I combine that with suffix __ or suffix __? I am definitely getting too old for this. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I needed a phone call for this last one... then they tell me my new password is "weak." Of course it is! I'm trying to choose something easy to remember! It's only for buying college books so as far as I'm concerned it doesn't have to be difficult. It's not the same one I use for anything banking or medical. It's just shopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Keypass. Definitely Keypass. It's a free password storage software (like was mentioned above). You just remember one password to open Keypass and all your other passwords (and log in IDs and even URLs) are stored there. It will also generate random passwords for you so you don't have to think of them all the time. I use it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I don't completely understand their concern sometimes, either. I mean, are they worried on my behalf that someone is going to, say, break into my WTM account and leave a bunch of imposter comments? Or hack my CurrClick account and order a bunch of things during "Dollar Days"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 I don't completely understand their concern sometimes, either. I mean, are they worried on my behalf that someone is going to, say, break into my WTM account and leave a bunch of imposter comments? Or hack my CurrClick account and order a bunch of things during "Dollar Days"? If they want to get into my account and order my guys' spring semester books for them, I sure wish no one would stop them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I reckon having them written somewhere is kind of like having a key by the front doorstep in a plant pot. You're not meant to but pretty much everyone has some variation of it. My favourite is the aus gov one. Not only do you have a password but you also have to answer 1 of 5 security questions. And try to remember whether you used your full primary school name or the abbreviated version. Did you use upper or lowercase for your mothers maiden name? Then if you dont get through and have to ring up you go on hold for 30 mins then the line drops out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Try using your first name middle name and then a symbol; alternately, you can hold down the tab key as you type in your anniversary or birthdate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Not only do you have a password but you also have to answer 1 of 5 security questions. And try to remember whether you used your full primary school name or the abbreviated version. Did you use upper or lowercase for your mothers maiden name? We get those too. And I end up trying to remember if I answered for me or for hubby and did I use the nickname or the real name... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I reckon having them written somewhere is kind of like having a key by the front doorstep in a plant pot. You're not meant to but pretty much everyone has some variation of it. My favourite is the aus gov one. Not only do you have a password but you also have to answer 1 of 5 security questions. And try to remember whether you used your full primary school name or the abbreviated version. Did you use upper or lowercase for your mothers maiden name? Then if you dont get through and have to ring up you go on hold for 30 mins then the line drops out. The best ones are "favorite author" or "favorite vacation spot". Well, it depends on when you ask! I have one word that I use to answer all security questions. Not very secure but what are you going to do?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 The best ones are "favorite author" or "favorite vacation spot". Well, it depends on when you ask! I have one word that I use to answer all security questions. Not very secure but what are you going to do?!? This is something that could really work - sort of like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where the answer is 42. Of course, 42 isn't long enough, but I ought to be able to come up with something. Then I'll wonder if I have this new word set up or if the questions were still using the old answers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Keypass. Definitely Keypass. It's a free password storage software (like was mentioned above). You just remember one password to open Keypass and all your other passwords (and log in IDs and even URLs) are stored there. It will also generate random passwords for you so you don't have to think of them all the time. I use it all the time. Ok so what happens when your hard drive goes "poof"? That's happened to me many times in my life. So I definitely use an old fashioned back up like a notebook. I actually have something like that, but again, I still write it down also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 This is something that could really work - sort of like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where the answer is 42. Of course, 42 isn't long enough, but I ought to be able to come up with something. Then I'll wonder if I have this new word set up or if the questions were still using the old answers... Well and see now that you tell me all your secrets...LOL I perked up because that's my favorite book ever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Ok so what happens when your hard drive goes "poof"? That's happened to me many times in my life. So I definitely use an old fashioned back up like a notebook. I actually have something like that, but again, I still write it down also. Mozy. :D I have my Keypass file on two computers, but I also use Mozy backup service. If my computer dies, I can easily log into Mozy from another computer to get all of my files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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