How do you manage your passwords?

[KoolDrew]

I use randomly generated passwords in Keepass, but I think I'm going to start doing something different. Not being able to log into Anandtech or other sites at school just because I don't have my USB flash pen with me is so annoying. I think I'm just going to start using phrases. That's actually what I do for my account on Windows.

 

[50cent1228]

Originally posted by: judasmachine
memory.

:thumbsup:

 

[Midlander]

I have them written down in a safe place. I do not store them in a Word document called "passwords."

 

[50cent1228]

i have three i keep safe in my brain

 

[Kirby64]

I got passwords based on the level of caring I have for the account. Stuff that's throwaway, I have a PW for, stuff thats semi-important that the PW doesn't get changed(AT, etc) has a PW, and then the OMFG stuff has a super-duper complex ultra secret long password(Paypal, anything involving CC's or money)

 

[Jeff7]

Rule #1 about password management: You do not talk about your password management scheme.


I keep them handy, but encrypted.

 

[Number1]

I use KeePass. I have over 70 differents accounts and passwords.

The trick is not to loose the main keepass password.

Works for me.

 

[swtethan]

small pw's for stuff that doesnt matter, huge long complex ones for the ones that do.

 

[ultimatebob]

I try to stick to 4 to 6 passwords... Two or three for my work stuff and two or three for my personal stuff.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Song titles from my fave artist with strategically placed uppercase letters.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: kranky
I have to remember too many but I do OK. Long ago I worked out a method that I use to create a pwd for a site that's unique to that site but I can still remember. I don't use the same pwd on multiple sites. For pwds I only need to use once in a while, I keep in a text file.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Anderson Windows. Many years back I was looking for windows and wanted info from their web site. You had to register and for some reason back then they assigned you a pwd of random characters (you couldn't choose your own). So by the time I was finished checking out window information, the password (something like 82Rg728x9DT) was embedded in my brain. I adapted that to use for passwords at other sites. If they hadn't assigned me a pwd like that, I would probably still be using easy-to-crack pwds.

Now I use a method where I take the VIN number of a car I used to own as the starting point for generating pwds, and use a modifier to add special characters. The modifier is derived from the specific web site I need a pwd for, so each pwd is unique but still what looks to be a random string of characters.

Mmm, that's pretty brilliant. As long as you can decode quickly, anyway. You could write a program into which you enter either your modifier or the website name from which the program can interpret the modifier. This isn't CIA-proof security, but is pretty damn slick and far better than what 99.9% of other people are doing.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
Song titles from my fave artist with strategically placed uppercase letters.

Or use songs that you hate, throw anyone trying to guess for even more of a loop.


I sometimes like using things like d or ô in my passwords, assuming the sites will support it. Alt + keys on the numpad = various ASCII or Unicode characters (I don't know which they are).

 

[soydios]

I have half a dozen or so passwords, four different user names, and five different emails. I mix and match among them, and then send an email to one of my main two email accounts in case I forget it.

 

[wetcat007]

I post them on ATOT

 

[Evadman]

I have about 20 for different systems. I use my brain.

 

[archcommus]

I don't like an encrypted file that holds them all because I want to be able to login from computers other than my own if I want to. Also obviously it's a bad idea to have the same password or even basically the same password with very minor modifications for every site you visit. If you make large modifications or have completely different ones for each site then that is good but gets hard to remember. That's why I prefer developing a scheme from which to generate passwords. Remember the scheme and be consistent with it you and should be good to go for every site all with unique passwords.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I memorize about a dozen or so of my own personal passwords (mainframes, unix servers, novell, lotus notes, newegg, anandtech, oracle databases, and more) as well as 20 or so of the different account passwords that I or my coworkers use on a regular basis at work.

Due to some passwords expiring after 30 days, some after 42, some after 60, some after 90, and others after 180, and the fact that I have so many frickin logins, there is no hope of keeping passwords consistent. Also, some require alpha numeric, some only numeric, some only alpha, some require symbols, some won't accept symbols, and the list goes on. Ohh also some need to be 8 or more characters, and some only 4 or 6.

For the other 100+ other passwords that everyone on my team at work has access to, we use http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/

 

[miniMUNCH]

I manage my passwords with my mind.

I only have about 10 or so to remember so it is not too bad.

 

[thescreensavers]

With my Brain.

 

[Skotty]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
I use randomly generated passwords in Keepass, but I think I'm going to start doing something different. Not being able to log into Anandtech or other sites at school just because I don't have my USB flash pen with me is so annoying. I think I'm just going to start using phrases. That's actually what I do for my account on Windows.

Use a USB keychain.

 

[thirdlegstump]

post its on my monitor

 

[DarkThinker]

I wrote a little C++ application that stores my passwords in a completely unorthodox fashion, that no one other than me would think about. That little app is made to run on my Laptop and Nokia E61 smart phone, so whenever I need a password I just ask my little app (usually I use my phone)

DarkThinker

 

[idiotekniQues]

i have three passwords.

each one has numbers and letters.

i use one set for forum joining and stuff which i use the most - from anandtech to twl to my EA 2142 account - anything casual that at worst if somebody figured it out on a forum or a corrupt admin, they could only get into these kind of things,

another set for business related stuff like paypal/email/university,

and the last password for my bank.

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: zimu
roboform > *

i use this as well and the portable. this is a great product.

jC

 

[jimbob200521]

It's easy; if you use the same password for everything, you won't forget it!! As long as you don't forget your name, that is. Oh crap...

But seriously, I have several passwords and have so far been able to remember them all without a problem.