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In this digital era, computer users need passwords for everything. But how much effort have you put into choosing your password? SplashData, a password software management firm, looked at millions of stolen passwords posted online by hackers and came out with its list of worst passwords. The worst password of 2011? The word “password.” Up next, was “123456” followed closely by “12345678.” Number six on the list was “monkey” and number eight, the ever original “let me in”/KGW.com via KREM. More here.
Question: How many different passwords to you have for various computers & sites? How do you remember them all?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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lovetohateme on November 23 at 11:16 a.m.
I currently have about 5 passphrases that I use. For websites where I don’t care too much about security, I use the same one over and over, but go back through and change them if any one of the sites is compromised. For sites where security of the passphrase is vital, like for online banking, it’s unique to that one site. This pattern of use makes them pretty easy to remember, and since it’s a limited number it’s pretty easy for me to guess which one I used where.
Originally, I wrote a huge blog-sized post here describing my thoughts on secure passwords…but I really need to cut down my mega-sized posts. DFO isn’t going to indulge them forever ;) Instead I made a blog account and posted it here.
Don_Sausser on November 23 at 11:51 a.m.
About 50. I use password management software so one only need to remember one password.
Stickman on November 23 at 12:27 p.m.
I have the same one I’ve always had. I only go to my e-mail and here, so there isn’t a lot of words I have to remember.
J_Powell on November 24 at 12:41 p.m.
I probably have about 20. I have Firefox remember them for me.
Also, I have a password protected Word document that contains them all.
JBlim on November 24 at 1:44 p.m.
Or use ********. That way you don’t have to remember it.