Jeez, I'm sick of passwords

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Over 25 years ago, I headed off to college, oppened a bank account, and was issued a newfangled thing called an ATM card; it required me to have something called a PIN, four digits that I had to remember. Later, I opened an account on with the school's computer system -- kind of weird at the time, since I was a liberal arts major, but it beat using my typewriter -- and I had to have a password.

And for 15 years thereafter, those were the sum total of my password needs: one ATM pin, one university logon.

But now! Oy! Four passwords for the four systems I use daily at work -- and they all have to be changed every six months; at least five-other work-related passwords, mostly for stuff related to the HR system, some of which also have to be changed every six months; 3 passwords for our 3 on-line banking sites, which keep having to be changed as they "improve" the sites; 2 passwords for the on-line interface to our credit card accounts; and that's just the stuff that can't be cookied, like Poly, Amazon, and my home email account.

I assume we're all in the same boat. What gets me is that "good" security is supposed to involve (1) using different paswords for different accounts; (2) changing passwords frequently; and (3) never writing your passwords down.

As far as I can tell, you'd have to be Rainman to comply with that in contemporary life.

So -- without giving anything away, of course -- how do you manage your passwords?

[Kuciwalker]

Of course you write down your passwords, assuming you follow the first two rules. Just don't store them on your computer.

[Harovan]

I maintain several classes of passwords. "High security" for online banking and alike. "Medium security" for access to pay services (I mean online games, seriously, or what did you think? ). And "Low security" for forum logins etc.

High security passwords are unique, very obscure and changed often. Medium security passwords I draw from a pool of several and regularly change them within the group. Low security passwords I have only a few, which I often reuse (for other sites) and don't change them ever. I don't write down passwords, because in nearly every case there is a way to retrieve them without much trouble, if you lost them.

[Zopperoni]

If you need a relatively easy way to cope with changing passwords, you could use a system.

You could use a piece of fruit, a symbol, and a number, and take it alphabetically. For example: Apple&1, Banana&2, Cherry&3, et cetera.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
If you need a relatively easy way to cope with changing passwords, you could use a system.

You could use a piece of fruit, a symbol, and a number, and take it alphabetically. For example: Apple&1, Banana&2, Cherry&3, et cetera.

I do that to some extent, but I always run afoul of something. For example, one of my bank sites demand an all-numeric password; another demand that you use an 8-character password consisting of exacly four letters and four numbers; etc.

[Dis]

I use the same password for everything almost.

I know I shouldn't. I sometimes use variations though. Like adding a number or letter to the end.

The password I use here at poly is very, very simple. In fact, someone may have hijacked my account. As I got in trouble for something I did not write. Perhaps someone is posting using my login. aranoid smilie:

Anyone care to guess what my poly password is? It's the easiest password I use. Most of mine are more difficult and contain numbers.

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

You should see the AKO passwords the US Army makes us use to check our emails. It's easier for a hacker to get into DoD emails than it is for the account holders.

[Winston]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
And for 15 years thereafter, those were the sum total of my password needs: one ATM pin, one university logon.

You took 15 years to complete your university studies? No wonder you're having trouble with passwords.

[Provost Harrison]

I memorise mine, but there generally is a theme to them to make it a little easier to remember and I do harmonise them where I can. I have several systems at work I need to have access to (I can count at least 7) and to give them all different passwords would be impossible.

[Fake Boris]

Hello, Keychain.

[MOBIUS]

Not to mention the seven sets of pin numbers for the various bank cards and credit cards I have...

[Dis]

and the security pins I use at work.

It's all the same number. . I'm so bad.

So if someone at work knew the codes I use for the alarms, they could steal my ATM card and drain my account. It's a chance I have to take.

I'm not going to waste brain space memorizing a bunch of pins and passwords when that space is better served remembering a great pair of titties.

[Dis]

and you guys forgot to mention passwords for all the gamesites. If I have a question about a game, I have to register to ask a question about a game. I do write all those passwords down into a little book. If I ever lost that book... But I admit I'm lazy, and rely on cookies far too much. That stuff is kind of dangerous. Those fields that auto fill in. It does it for my credit card too.

And then you have those stupid hint questions. I hate those. They aren't helpful at all. Because then you have to remember what the answer to the question is.

[Provost Harrison]

I've actually harmonised my PINs, I know I shouldn't, but I would have no chance otherwise...passwords I can cope with if they are something memorable. although I have been using the same one for over a decade so I really ought to change it at some point!

And then there is all the stuff for my online banking too and god knows what...

[MOBIUS]

Luckily I have a sort of permanent memory when it comes to numbers - I still have a bunch of memorised phone numbers (all useless now) knocking around from well over 25 years ago... four digit pins are no problem whatsoever especially as I have been recycling the earliest ones for 20 years!

My major problem is forgetting which pin goes with which card, when it comes to using a card I haven't used in a while...