Hey,
If you anything like me, knowing how to save internet passwords can drive you nuts. Well, I have a great, free solution for you to keep you from looking like this guy...
Here's how it works.
Most people use the same password for all of their sites. (email, bills, banking, etc.) This is a huge security risk, and you probably already know this, but having a unique password for every site is a pain, right? Wrong.
This isn't software or a service. It's a strategy. The idea is simple. Each password will be different and look very random to prevent hackers and software hacks.
For example, your password to your gmail account might look like this:
b7l0g4m0
The way it works is simple. Take a favorite movie star in this case it's Bruce Lee (no he's not my favorite movie star... anymore). Then put the first two letters of the site you want the password for. In this case gmail.
So we have:
blgm
Now take the year you were born (for me it's 1970 so I used 70) and how old I am (for me it's 40). Put those two numbers (7040) b-e-t-w-e-e-n the other letters like this.
b7l0g4m0
Now you have a very random looking password that is very secure, but easy to remember. You only need to change two letters in it from one site to the next, (the first two letters of the site).
So your yahoo password (if you were using this example) would be:
b7l0y4a0
Pretty cool, eh?
Do you have a different tip to save internet passwords that works for you?
~Mike Cowles. <><
January 16, 2012 at 1:51 am
Some very good info here! But I agree with Wes, up the way in comment http://mikesblog.net/save-internet-passwords/#comment-413, concerning LastPass at http://lastpass.com/ (his comment is date AUGUST 22 OF 2010!! WAZZUP WITH THAT?)
I’ve used LastPass for a very long time… since whatever Firefox upgrade booted RoboForm to the road… which, since LastPass, IMHO, is in the top ten of utterly wonderful, unbelievable New Media Tools!… I haven’t bothered to go look to see if RoboForm has cleaned up their act and upgraded their tool. I still keep RoboForm on my PC, as I still occasionally run into a spot where I need the stored PW or other info.
LastPass has a terrific tool for generation of passwords, and then won’t let you leave a site until you’ve confirmed everything and saved it. My practice is to then log OUT of the site and log back in, to make sure all is working well.
LastPass is extremely secure. Make backups often as with any other tool out there. But my question is… why resort to CaveMan/CaveWoman 101 when we have the tools for a better platform? With LastPass, you can set it to do whopping big passwords with 12 (my choice) or even more digits. Including all the cussword digits, i.e. #!$#%”%###@@@. And caps and lowercase and numbers… the resulting passwords are true beauties. This tool is similar to the one in WHM, which is also a great way to go.
Why use such an amazing tool?
1. Time is Money, and
2. Albert Einstein: ‘Never memorize something that you can look up.’
Have a super day, all!
Leanne
January 16, 2012 at 4:27 am
I’ve used Roboform for years, not always to produce my password but to remember it.
Now I use “Roboform Everywhere” and I keep it synched so that the old laptop I sometimes need has the same info on it as my PC. It just updates on line so it’s a doddle to execute it.
Trouble is, I’ve got so many passwords now after about 6 years that a printout takes all my ink and a couple of reams of paper……….. well, almost!!!!
I’ve copied it all to a DVD, but I guess it IS time to review all of them as many can be culled as no longer in use.
John
PS: My memory isn’t what it was so I just keep a few highly critical finance related Paswwords off Roboform, but the rest have to be in that program or I’m sunk!
January 16, 2012 at 8:39 am
Cool recommendation and I’ve just started to apply the philosophy “If you can remember it, it ain’t strong enough!” I had been mixing up numbers and letters, have just started adding symbols and no longer use words… just a random collection of characters.
Downside is I have to use a notepad (and copy ‘n paste) to log in or write them in a little notebook.
For my (primary) Google account and my PayPal account I also get texts with verification IDs. I know nothing is 100% but every step that makes it harder for hackers can only be a good thing. Hopefully they’ll move onto an easier target (like a burgler would).
January 16, 2012 at 8:42 am
Thanks. I was one who used same password for all. No more!
January 17, 2012 at 7:30 am
Mike, here is an idea for creating a password that is easy to remember:
suppose you need a password to your online banking password,
- think about your favourite song about money, let’s say it is Donna Summer – She Works Hard For The Money
- take the first letters of each word of the first line lyrics, you have
swhftm, , capitalise the letter of the word that is the most important to you (like money), add $ and you have your password swhftM$
- looks complicated, but it is so easy to remember, as we know the lyrics of our favourite songs so well; I actually hum my passwords as I write them ;o)
- you can make a note to trigger your memory in case you forgot the password, like “Donna hard $” or something
- I use favourite quotes, including funny or smart quotes from my favourite movies sometimes, that works well, too
- make your own rules: put double m instead of writing a capital M, add numbers, use the second line of the lyrics, not the first, and so on…
have fun
January 17, 2012 at 11:17 pm
What I do is to choose a word or a phrase and substitute some of the letters with numbers or symbols that will look similar to the letter. It makes it easy for me to remember. For example: d0n0t7ouc# = Do not touch. I may add an exclamation mark, dollar sign or other symbol at the beginning or end. Also, I will mix languages. For example, spell part of the word in Spanish and the other part in English adding the number and/or symbols. Or just use one short Spanish word and one short English word. I may through some Greek or French words too.
January 20, 2012 at 7:53 pm
Cool idea, Felipe! Thanks for sharing.
Mike.
January 20, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Great Strategy! I love that type of creative thinking.
Mike.
January 20, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Thanks for being safe. It’s a great choice, especially when one out of four people get their identity stolen.
Take care.
Mike.
January 20, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Another challenge is, if you have it on notepad, it’s something people can find, so be sure to add something to those words, like and extra 3 characters at the end of each one that you can delete. So for example if your password is: d98d&J@#4 you would write down: d98d&J@#47$3 then just don’t include the last three digits.
Talk soon.
Mike.
January 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
I have used Roboform as well, and it’s better than what most people do/use, I just don’t like being dependent on it in case if there’s a problem with ‘their’ site.
Mike.