Password rant....

[rwsmith]

I have a notebook full of passwords, but it doesn't do a lot of good. Sites require you to change passwords to something with more letters, capital letters, numbers and symbols. My new computer uses a 'pin number' because it's easier than passwords.(????) I go to my notebook and look up a password and it nearly always says that the password is wrong. If you try too many times you get locked out. And EVERYBODY requires an account if you want to do anything on the site.. I should look into one of those programs that is supposed to simplify passwords.

Netflix, Microsoft, Google, ATT Uverse, news, IMDB, Windows Live mail, Gunbroker, Chess, Paypal, Ebay, Amazon, Itunes. This is in addition to banks, finances. I get emails from my doctors and others saying that I can access my info on their 'Portal' but you have to set that up in the office. More passwords. That's enough. I think I got it out of my system.

 

[Targets Guy]

Don't forget this site.

 

[Jessie]

Yep, the more sites you belong to, the more passwords you need.
The more passwords you have, the more you have to update them.
The solution is, stay off password required sites.
Hard to do, isn't it?
Not really, if you try

 

[bigwheelzip]

There's several password managers. Some are built into the browser, and some are added to the browsers. Some are basically universal and can sync most hardware types and browsers. Many are free. I find it a necessary evil, and install one on every device I control. If you start using one, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

 

[Targets Guy]

There's several password managers. Some are built into the browser, and some are added to the browsers. Some are basically universal and can sync most hardware types and browsers. Many are free. I find it a necessary evil, and install one on every device I control. If you start using one, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

I just can't bring myself to trust them.

 

[nicky4968]

The iPad my son convinced me to buy can be unlocked with my thumbprint. You can use your finger instead if you like.
Would be nice if one could do the same with programs and sites.

 

[marvin the martian]

My beef is that they tell you to use numbers, letters, symbols and the more you use, the better. But then some schmuck at the data center decides to use "passw0rd" and the whole system is hacked completely negating my 10,000 century hack proof password!

 

[coltle6920]

My former job required me to change my password every month.It had to be completely different each time.Had to be pretty innovative for a long time.

Most of the sites where I register are either ammo or food sites.I just use the same name and code for all of them.My bank,pension,401K and healthcare sites are treated with more caution.There's too much private information to be had if wanted.

 

[Whitwabit]

When I was much younger I had a Little Black Book full of phone numbers ..

Now I have a Little Black Book full of PassWords ..

 

[Onomea]

One approach, for guys like us, is to incorporate S&W model numbers. Use the dash numbers for required updating. Then ya got yer Colts, etc.

 

[soFlaNative]

One approach, for guys like us, is to incorporate S&W model numbers. Use the dash numbers for required updating. Then ya got yer Colts, etc.

That's it. Use the letter of the frame size.
I change my password at work once a month. Combination
of letters and numbers I'll just change the capitalized one
to the next letter of the alphabet.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've been recommending calibers for years! Examples;

If it requires 4 numbers: 4570 or 3006

If it requires 4 with numbers and letters: 44SP or 357M

If it requires 6 with numbers and letters: 762X51 or 8X57JS

If it requires 8 with numbers and letters: M2BALL5S or 3006M2TR

Some my favorites: 18734570; 4570GOVT; 45ACP230

My company never allowed punctuation, and changes were every 90 days and could never be re used and couldn't contain you name or initials and on and on! So on month I needed a 4 digit simple password and typed IVAN and it worked (the computers don't know the foreign forms of your name!) So call me JUAN or JOSE or TOMAS or JAMIE or STUPID it didn't matter! Actual security was based on which station a document or search came from and the workmen all had the same generic unchanging password and it was posted on the wall in 8 places!

Could you read my e-mail? No, absolutely not! Could you send an e-mail? Yes! Could you enter a cartoon that had poor taste and offended people of a non-traditional sexual orientation? Somebody did! And they knew it came from a common use work station in a room of 18 maintenance men at 8:15 on a Wednesday morning when only one person in the department was sick that day (ME!). They would fire the person if they could figure out who did it. But for all the "Security" it was not working! Did they change anything? No, never did for the two years I was there after that!

Oh, BTW: my mother's maiden name isn't MUDD either! It was a similar German based name, that the computer wouldn't accept!

Ivan

 

[steelslaver]

I convert a number I like into hexadecimal. Look at the programmer function on a scientific calculator. Enter in any number you like. Say a birth day 09171953 then click hex and it will change it to 8BF3F1. Hexadecimal is a 16 digit math system. You can also take a couple numbers you can easily remember, multiply them and convert to hexadecimal.

Math joke. When it comes to binary there are 10 kinds of people, those that understand and those that don't.

 

[okiegtrider]

Took me a half hour to read this thread trying to view the part of my screen not obscured by sticky notes with passwords on them.

 

[hostler]

I used to work in a driver license center (driving examiner).
I had 11 different passwords to access different databases programs and computers, some changed every 90 days, some every 6 months and you couldn't repeat them, at least 6 characters, letters, numbers, capital letters, some of them you had to use a special character besides a letter or number. And they discouraged you from writing them down but everyone did, so under everyone's computer or in their desk drawer somewhere was their list of passwords. My feeling is these highly restrictive passwords actually made the system more vulnerable because everyone had to write their stuff down.

 

[cowart]

My former job required me to change my password every month.It had to be completely different each time.Had to be pretty innovative for a long time.

Let the computer do the innovative part:
Diceware Secure Passphrase and Password Generator
add numbers/special characters if needed

 

[Beemerguy53]

I have a notebook full of passwords, but it doesn't do a lot of good. Sites require you to change passwords to something with more letters, capital letters, numbers and symbols...

My current workplace is manic about computer security, with all those requirements in place too. I try make it easy on myself by picking guns, cars, airplanes, or motorcycles as my passwords. For example...

1955FordT-Bird

Pre-64Model70

1978YamahaRD-400

P-40NWarhawk

Knowing that you have to change passwords regularly, sit down sometime and make up a list in advance of new passwords you'll use when needed. I find that helps a lot...

 

[twodog max]

The best part of this whole aggravation is a determined hacker is not stopped in the least from compromising the system. I enjoy my computer but honestly wish I had never started.

 

[Whitwabit]

The best part of this whole aggravation is a determined hacker is not stopped in the least from compromising the system. I enjoy my computer but honestly wish I had never started.

most system compromises occur when someone opens an e-mail that holds a virus not thru hacking a single password .. another way is many people check the little box that says Remember Me .. so all they have to do is click on the password box and it shows up and then all they have to do is hit enter .. don't have to remember the password then .. well a hacker will look for and do the same thing ..

I use a program called Trend Micro ..

 

[Whitwabit]

My current workplace is manic about computer security, with all those requirements in place too. I try make it easy on myself by picking guns, cars, airplanes, or motorcycles as my passwords. For example...

1955FordT-Bird

Pre-64Model70

1978YamahaRD-400

P-40NWarhawk

Knowing that you have to change passwords regularly, sit down sometime and make up a list in advance of new passwords you'll use when needed. I find that helps a lot...

I've used both places I have been stationed in the service and the squadron nomenclature .. past car/truck license plate numbers .. parts of my old service number .. yes different from my SS number .. grad kids nick names .. old address numbers and streets .. so many different things to use and easily remember if you just think about it a little ..