Password Management?

[Axtman]

How do you guys manage your passwords? It seems like nowadays I have about 50 passwords for things like stores, banks, forums, etc. I can't remember my own cell phone number let alone 50 passwords. Help!

[BurningSkies]

I use firefox and let it remember any that aren't linked to my bank account or charge accounts.

[tplyons]

I have a sheet of paper with my usernames, and a sheet with my passwords. They're not kept together, and they're not kept on my computer.

Luckily, I can remember most of mine, I don't have to reference it very often, but I've left these for myself in case of a major brain fart.

[Joe Gress]

Wrote them down in a safe place. The ones I use all the time (online fourms and such) I keep logged in, and banking one I remember.

[warwick.hoy]

uhhhhh...Am I dumb for having one super difficult to figure out password? It's not related to pets, birthdays...it's completely random and off the wall. I use it for everything,...and I don't online bank.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

uhhhhh...Am I dumb for having one super difficult to figure out password? It's not related to pets, birthdays...it's completely random and off the wall. I use it for everything,...and I don't online bank.

Yes, and no. If someone figures out your password, you're in for a potential world of hurt.

As far as using a single password, I tend to use two. A six character password for forums that allow it, and an eight character password for a lot of the higher security stuff like banking and stuff.

There are a lot of banks and other sites that require you to use passwords according to their policies, that don't allow me to use one of my liking. And a few places use different standards for usernames, or which email address I used to register.

And then there's eBay... I had two issues with my password on eBay, and they won't let you repeat, so my eBay password is so random I had to write it down.

Oh, and don't forget the government website. US Treasury Direct has the STRANGEST, albeit, a very secure login system, but it requires a username, password, and verification from a card they mailed me.

Don't even get me started on security questions... I've got those written down on a third paper. Who knows how I answer some of these questions when I can't actually pick my own question... what's my favorite movie? I couldn't pick now and I sure as hell can't remember what I wrote down years ago.

[MJ5150]

Stickies around the edge of my monitor. I'll post a screen shot later so you all can see how many I have.



-Mike

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Stickies around the edge of my monitor.

-Mike

LOL... my mom does this as well.

Security, schmecurity.

But she won't save passwords or use cookies. She feels they're unsafe. But she'll plaster them in plain view.

[warwick.hoy]

The wife does all the online banking and PP. They are her accounts and she uses different passwords. The PW's for the bank expire so she has to pick new ones every couple of months or so.

For me it's just e-mail, and forums...that's about it. I only have a savings account and that's it.

[tplyons]

Ok, I see... I couldn't stand not knowing exactly how much money I have in every account at any given time. I'm too anal about things like that... I log in my primary accounts every day to check balances (and today my credit card has a balance of $0.00 for the first time in nearly two years...YAY) and for unauthorized activity. I check my lesser used accounts at least once a week just to double check.

If it works for you, more power to you, but I can't stand not knowing everything.

[backline112]

My password for everything is f93ja74bs033d. I have it memorized, and never written down anywhere. No one else in the world knows (except you now.)
Seriously, I have a random password, and have never written it down, and I've never forgotten it. As far as security questions, there's another password reminiscent of a movie.

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by tplyons

....I can't stand not knowing everything.

You don't know everything. You don't even know what I am going to have for lunch today.

-Mike

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by tplyons

Ok, I see... I couldn't stand not knowing exactly how much money I have in every account at any given time. I'm too anal about things like that... I log in my primary accounts every day to check balances (and today my credit card has a balance of $0.00 for the first time in nearly two years...YAY) and for unauthorized activity. I check my lesser used accounts at least once a week just to double check.

If it works for you, more power to you, but I can't stand not knowing everything.

That's not to say I don't know the passwords. I can check the accounts anytime I like...in fact I picked the password the last time around...completely unrelated to my PW's. My paycheck (when I was working) usually goes into her account because she has the debit card. It's our money...as opposed to hers and mine.

I'm also pretty anal about clearing cookies and not using them...(do you want FF to remember your password?...Nope). I've heard it is pretty easy to crack a password...maybe I'm behind the times but I thought that a few viruses were keystroke logs to get that information.

[anyonefortennis]

roboform. Best $25 bucks I've ever spent.

[varunkapahi]

firefox remembers most of my passwords, you can use a master password with firefox too

[banre]

I use a "family" of similar passwords for different things. Even if I forget one for a particular site, I can easily figure it out in two or three tries.

For banking, I have to totally separate, random, completely unrelated password that I've never written down.

Now, one thing I never do is use the same password on a forum or site that I use for the email address that I signed up for that site with. To me that make it just too easy to get into my email if someone wanted to screw around with me.

[Valerus]

i use variations of three base passwords. then I add on 4-8 numbers and sometimes a question mark

[MatticusMania]

I have 2 real passwords that only 3 people in the world would ever even understand, and even then I use variations of them for different things.

[megadan]

I typically use one or two different, non-dictionary passkeys for most standard sites (TB, digg, etc.). For banking and paypal I use two completely different passwords. Pin number has been the same since i was 13 years old, and that about covers it.

[Nino Valenti]

I have a sheet of paper with codes names for each account and code names for each password. 1/2 the time I can't decipher my code and I made it up so I think (hope) I'm safe.