Passwords 101
Thu Jun 8, 2006 6:03PM EDT
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Here's some of the best advice on passwords I've found. It comes from Steve Bass at PC World, who starts off with this tip:
Change your email account password if you are going away and using public PCs in Internet cafes or libraries. Then change it again when you get home. That way, if the systems are infested with spyware and keylogger programs, which track keystrokes (including passwords), hackers will have short-term access to your email password.
He dispatches the tried-and-true counsel to mix up letters, symbols and numbers when creating passwords. But he also recommends some password-creation software:
• The WinGuides Network Web-based tool that you can download here.
• Steve Gibson's Perfect Passwords, which provides unique, "high-quality, cryptographic-strength password strings" every time someone clicks on the site.
• RoboForm—Bass' personal favorite, it creates passwords and securely remembers them. Hands down, it's the best tool for storing all your user ID and password data for Web sites, he writes. High praise.
You can find a trial version of the $30 program in PC World's Downloads library. There's also a USB version of RoboForm, called Pass2Go, that allows you to use your passwords on someone else's PC without leaving your password info on the PC.
Some good advice, especially since the little notebook I keep my passwords in is getting full. How do you manage your passwords?
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67 Posted by jessie_marlett on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:33PM EDT Report Abuse
This isn't much help to me since I have to change my passwords on everything every day. No my compture doesn't have keyloggers or spyware in them. I have the top spyware blocker, firewalls, AVG, and etc. on my comptures. I changed my passwords every day because I had someone hack into my webmail twice once calling me by my maiden name and the second time calling me by my married name, so the person had my info already and want to see how much trouble he/she/it could get into and all I had to do was turn it over to a friend that works for the goverment. If your going to mess with me your going to get burns or throwen in jail one. lol.
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68 Posted by beemanashley@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:04PM EDT Report Abuse
that really helped alot :) Thanks!!!
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69 Posted by abecc00 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:44PM EDT Report Abuse
password complexity strength is useless if you use a public PC or in an unprotected network where hackers can sniff your passwords. I won't use any password protection program and sleep on it thinking will be safe for long. The best defense to protect yourself is always be on guard and put in place measures such as antispyware/antivirus/security updates/firewall/etc. And don't let any browser forms to remember your passwords. Sure, you might never have been a victim. But will be too late to regret if you ever become one.
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70 Posted by beemanashley@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:04PM EDT Report Abuse
I think that a pets name would be best with a number for a password, or a teachers name with some numbers, or your school password. That would be a good combination. For me I wouldn't tell you :-P
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71 Posted by john_54401 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:39PM EDT Report Abuse
thanks dory ! good story and excellent advice.......!
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72 Posted by reloctrician on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:36PM EDT Report Abuse
My grandkids birthdays, added together, and the 1st 2 letters or their names in a certain order gives me 128 bit security
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73 Posted by k68krt@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse
i just use one of my 25 different passwords, and change to another one every once in a while. But one thing to say about the programs is that they give u some really strange passwords.
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74 Posted by leathrnlace on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:58PM EDT Report Abuse
I haven't found a good system for creating passwords and now I have so many it is very tough to keep up with them all. I wish there was a way to recover some of my old passwords - I have accounts I can't use now because I can't remember the password I created years ago and I've moved so many times, had 6 different computers, been married and divorced, and have had 6 different pets, so trying to get help from the site itself is impossible to prove it's even the "real me." The one that really cracked me up is Yahoo's request for a copy of my driver's license to prove it's me. I didn't give them my DL when I created that account and I don't live at the same address, so what does that prove? Sites have some many different requirements to create accounts with passwords now, it is no longer "one size fits all" in creating or changing passwords. I have a site that only needs 4 characters. I have a site that requires 10 characters. Another site will not allow a password that makes real word. One site will not allow any numbers. Another requires at least one number. Some are case sensitive and others are not. ARGGGG!
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75 Posted by riseingstarr2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse
A simple but strong PW is to use one like this N8u7y6tR look at it and the keyboard, it is easy to remember after you do it 2 or 3 times and you can type it in very fast if someone is looking. You use an upper case letter then a number then a lower case letter just below the number, repeat that 3 or 4 times then and an upper case letter. You have an unlimited number of PW that you can use.
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76 Posted by necro52000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse
The people who make spy ware programs should be in jail.
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77 Posted by 83arias@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:42PM EDT Report Abuse
Thank you like so much I have never found an article so helpful about passwords. I mean like the only people that really like enjoy these tips are people that love computers but I mean I think everyone enjoyed these tips. Plus what really realed me in was the headline. Passwords 101. Nice Job!
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78 Posted by brownlove3000@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:14PM EDT Report Abuse
well i have i question, is it good to have the same password on all your accounts, why i ask is i have a lot of accounts on line, and it is hard to keep up with 12 different pass words. so i try to keep the same one.
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79 Posted by mirandapickett on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:21PM EDT Report Abuse
i think this article has some really good advice that we people should know about. It seems that even though people have fire wall people still hack in to people's account because they watch what we type. It's good how all you guys are saying that you add numbers in your password. VERY smart. :)
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80 Posted by kais1@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:46PM EDT Report Abuse
use a lot of these characters: !@#$%^&* etc. I heard they are a beast to crack. I like replacing the "a" in a word with a "@".
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81 Posted by vlevene on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:37PM EDT Report Abuse
I usually change my password every 30-60 days, and I also use a variety of letters and numbers. Too many hackers out there.
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82 Posted by jmccor6162@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:37PM EDT Report Abuse
What would be nice, is if those geeks that make me change mine every 90 days would allow me to use the same one for the multiple applications that I have to log in to... when I try, some say it's not enough characters, or it's not complicated enough when others accept it. Set a requirement of the same length, and the same level of complication, and allow me to use it for the 90 days then I can change it again. Whew! I know the logic is multiple passwords allow you to keep more secure, but I agree, the postie note list of passwords makes it just as easy... and thats how I sometimes have to remember it, especially when you cannot repeat a password for 5 evolutions.
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83 Posted by twmmtate@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:25PM EDT Report Abuse
if you create a new password to use some where else then, someone gets that Temp. password then changes it before you get home then your out of your email so to me it didnt sound like a good idea.
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84 Posted by mvokla@swbell.net on Sat Jul 8, 2006 11:23AM EDT Report Abuse
I have used Roboform for about a year now, and I absolutely would not be without it. It takes all the pain out of remembering passwords and filling out online forms. It is Googles autolink X 100. If you try it, you will never give it up.
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85 Posted by rod.cruse@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:47PM EDT Report Abuse
I use AnyPass, a free software program where you can store all your passwords and use only one password to access it.
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66 Posted by thesatsui on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:05PM EDT Report Abuse
I generate 24 character random byte passwords with roboform. Since I run about 10 different websites, I have to take extra precautions to prevent anything going wrong. I would highly recommend not using the same password for everything either. If a website's security is weak, and someone finds your password and your information, they can access everything you can. I know this from experience (I quit doing that a long time ago, so shh)