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Old 04-11-2012, 03:18 PM
 
Location: home...finally, home .
8,804 posts, read 21,223,252 times
Reputation: 20066

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Would you believe that "password" is the most popular log-in used to access online accounts? Yikes! Don't do that! Making it easy for you to recall also makes it easy for hackers to identify.

I read that article , too.. I cannot believe that anyone would choose that as a password.
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Old 04-11-2012, 03:34 PM
 
Location: Arizona, The American Southwest
54,482 posts, read 33,796,391 times
Reputation: 91677
One thing everyone should be aware of, don't write the passwords down on a piece of paper and leave it near the computer, if God forbids, somebody were to break into your house and find those passwords, you'll experience the loss of your computer, plus there's the danger of financial losses if somebody were to use those passwords to access your checking, and credit card accounts. Instead of writing down the passwords on a sheet of paper, create a Word or Notepad document that contains the login IDs and passwords, and most importantly, Make that document readable only by the owner, or your Windows account login ID so that nobody else logged in under a different account can look at those files.

Also make sure your Windows Login ID and the Administrator's accounts are protected by strong passwords so that if your computer happens to get stolen, the person will not be able to access the document(s) in your home directory under another login ID they may create. It's better for them to reformat the entire C drive than to have somebody you don't know looking through your files.
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Old 04-11-2012, 06:05 PM
 
Location: The Circle City. Sometimes NE of Bagdad.
24,337 posts, read 25,851,992 times
Reputation: 59575
We try to use Native American Indian words for our passwords.
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Old 04-11-2012, 06:13 PM
 
5,503 posts, read 5,547,054 times
Reputation: 5164
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt View Post
I must have a pretty good password on my email. I have been trying for a month to crack it so I could check my email.
I've done that with several of my accounts and ended up being locked out!
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Old 04-11-2012, 08:37 PM
 
Location: NW Indiana
44,292 posts, read 19,960,112 times
Reputation: 115099
Quote:
Originally Posted by rainroosty View Post
I only enter lies about myself on the computer when it comes to personal information. That way if anyone did hack into my stuff, they'd know nothing of any use. In fact, I often go to sites on the internet and give all my false information - name, date of birth, address - all that stuff. I keep it consistent, for almost everything.
It's rewarding when I receive spam addressing my fictional character, along with the false info. that they think is true.
That's pretty cool, roosty!

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Old 04-11-2012, 09:26 PM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,556,566 times
Reputation: 37905
Quote:
Originally Posted by PJSinger View Post
For easier recall, base your passwords on foods you like, TV shows or first letters of a song, but with tweaks, symbols and conscious misspellings.
If your favorite book is Gone With the Wind = !G0n3@w1th#Th3$w1nd%

The logic: Start with the !, which is the shifted 1. Every other word is uppercase then lowercase (GwTw). Between each word you add one to the shifted number !@#$% = (shifted) 12345 and end with the %. Replace some letters with numbers:

i(I)=1, z(Z)=2 ,e (E)=3, a(A)=4. s(S)=5, g(G)=6, l(L)=7, b(B)=8, d(D)=9, o(O)=0

Is your favorite movie The Silence of the Lambs?

!Th3@s173nc3#0f$th3%74mb5^

Use a consistent method that makes sense to you and books, movies, people you knew in grade school, etc that you will remember. You can pick the replacements that are most obvious to you, perhaps just the vowels: 1340 and perhaps 5. After you use such a method for a while you will find it becomes second nature.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt View Post
I must have a pretty good password on my email. I have been trying for a month to crack it so I could check my email.
If you're serious I can help...

Quote:
Originally Posted by GloryB View Post
I have to change 3 passwords for work every 90 days. Drives me nuts.
We have to use numbers AND characters.
A place I used to work required that. PWs were easy to find because everyone wrote them on post-its and put them in one of three easy to find locations. Totally defeated the purpose only if some nefarious person got through building security.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum Mike View Post
One thing everyone should be aware of, don't write the passwords down on a piece of paper and leave it near the computer, if God forbids, somebody were to break into your house and find those passwords, you'll experience the loss of your computer, plus there's the danger of financial losses if somebody were to use those passwords to access your checking, and credit card accounts. Instead of writing down the passwords on a sheet of paper, create a Word or Notepad document that contains the login IDs and passwords, and most importantly, Make that document readable only by the owner, or your Windows account login ID so that nobody else logged in under a different account can look at those files.

Also make sure your Windows Login ID and the Administrator's accounts are protected by strong passwords so that if your computer happens to get stolen, the person will not be able to access the document(s) in your home directory under another login ID they may create. It's better for them to reformat the entire C drive than to have somebody you don't know looking through your files.
Excellent post and I highlight one of the most-often missed security points: The Administrator password. I'd guess 99% of computers don't have one.

I use a Word document that is password protected to store my 2 1/2 pages of passwords and important information. You have to break that very strong password - after figuring out the two passwords it takes to access my computer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by motormaker View Post
We try to use Native American Indian words for our passwords.
Password crackers don't care what language you use.


Great tips Pam! I hope everyone that needs to start changing their habits!!
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Old 04-12-2012, 12:11 PM
 
Location: home...finally, home .
8,804 posts, read 21,223,252 times
Reputation: 20066
I use the first letters of the words to my Dad's favorite poem. For the word "to", I use the number. Probably crackable as well as I use it all the time.
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People may not recall what you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel .
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Old 04-12-2012, 01:26 PM
 
6,441 posts, read 5,236,912 times
Reputation: 13564
Excellent reminder, Mike. Naming an email file or doc "password" or even using "PW" creates an easy path for a hacker or anyone just getting into your PC at your home. Just as Mike says, give the doc itself a password. Make your hard copy notebook or file impossible to recognize in your very own home. As much as you adore spouse and children and others who may visit, absolutely no one gets your passwords!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum Mike View Post
One thing everyone should be aware of, don't write the passwords down on a piece of paper and leave it near the computer, if God forbids, somebody were to break into your house and find those passwords, you'll experience the loss of your computer, plus there's the danger of financial losses if somebody were to use those passwords to access your checking, and credit card accounts. Instead of writing down the passwords on a sheet of paper, create a Word or Notepad document that contains the login IDs and passwords, and most importantly, Make that document readable only by the owner, or your Windows account login ID so that nobody else logged in under a different account can look at those files.

Also make sure your Windows Login ID and the Administrator's accounts are protected by strong passwords so that if your computer happens to get stolen, the person will not be able to access the document(s) in your home directory under another login ID they may create. It's better for them to reformat the entire C drive than to have somebody you don't know looking through your files.
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Old 04-12-2012, 01:38 PM
 
Location: NW Indiana
44,292 posts, read 19,960,112 times
Reputation: 115099
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tek_Freek View Post
If your favorite book is Gone With the Wind = !G0n3@w1th#Th3$w1nd%

The logic: Start with the !, which is the shifted 1. Every other word is uppercase then lowercase (GwTw). Between each word you add one to the shifted number !@#$% = (shifted) 12345 and end with the %. Replace some letters with numbers:

i(I)=1, z(Z)=2 ,e (E)=3, a(A)=4. s(S)=5, g(G)=6, l(L)=7, b(B)=8, d(D)=9, o(O)=0

Is your favorite movie The Silence of the Lambs?

!Th3@s173nc3#0f$th3%74mb5^

Use a consistent method that makes sense to you and books, movies, people you knew in grade school, etc that you will remember. You can pick the replacements that are most obvious to you, perhaps just the vowels: 1340 and perhaps 5. After you use such a method for a while you will find it becomes second nature.



If you're serious I can help...



A place I used to work required that. PWs were easy to find because everyone wrote them on post-its and put them in one of three easy to find locations. Totally defeated the purpose only if some nefarious person got through building security.



Excellent post and I highlight one of the most-often missed security points: The Administrator password. I'd guess 99% of computers don't have one.

I use a Word document that is password protected to store my 2 1/2 pages of passwords and important information. You have to break that very strong password - after figuring out the two passwords it takes to access my computer.



Password crackers don't care what language you use.


Great tips Pam! I hope everyone that needs to start changing their habits!!
This ^ is a bunch of great advice, Tek. Thanks a heap!

.
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