How to Remember Your Passwords
The best way to remember your password is not to rely on your memory at all!
Up until recently, I have relied on my memory to remember my passwords and it has become increasingly difficult. As internet security becomes more sophisticated, every website you visit and account you have requires a username & password. Some user accounts require you to update your password on a regular basis and even getting your username correct is becoming a gamble! This is because companies all create their own policies, naming conventions and definition as to what is secure enough.
So, finally, I bit the bullet and downloaded a password manager- and I love it! For those of you who haven’t made the jump yet, I have some tips to share. If you are currently using your contacts, word or excel to store this information, I urge you to quit that practice immediately, if not sooner. Here are some things to consider when selecting a password manager:
1. Online vs. Desktop Software- Since I am very rarely without my laptop, I don’t have a desire to store my passwords online, however, if you work from numerous workstations, you will want to consider this distinction as a number one priority or if you have a smartphone, see #5 below.
2. Store additional account types and information- Some password managers only allow you to enter usernames and passwords. I always look to consolidate functions and some are better than others at managing credit cards, bank accounts, SSN’s, insurance, prescriptions, etc. and some even allow you to create your own fields to store and label desired data (you know how I feel about labeling- never underestimate the power of labeling).
3. Export/Backup- Just like anything else these days, if one is good, two is better, right? OK, so I don’t necessarily agree with that theory but in this case, having a backup is always a wise idea.
4. Autofill sign in feature- A good password manager will allow you to enter all of the necessary info in order to launch and login to the desired site with the click of a button.
5. Software for your Smartphone- If you have a Smartphone, this feature can pay dividends, especially for the storage and retrieval of information other than pw’s…You can retrieve everyone’s SSN,
Oh, and of course, you need to consider the software’s password protection and security- but that’s a given!
I can’t believe that I waited so long to do this. It has been a time (& energy) saver when my memory is a bit fuzzy or it’s an account that I only access occassionally. I did an initial brain dump of my usernames and passwords but I have also been adding as I go and I am shocked by just how many accounts I have to keep track of- it’s no wonder I was having difficulty remembering.
If you don’t have a password manager (or am I the only one), would you mind sharing the reason? I know my reasons and I will share and explore the bigger meaning behind them in a future post…
May 29th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Lauren,
Thanks for letting us know it\’s okay to not try and remember your passcodes for all accounts. I recorded all of mine in an email to myself and stored it in my outlook folder. However, this is not safe if someone can access your outlook.
Deb Zechini
May 31st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Lauren,
Thanks for doing such a good job of pointing out the various issues related to managing passwords. Great subject.
I’ve been using a very small (pocket-sized) address/phone directory that I keep close by, and at this point, I couldn’t live without it. But even within this, I use various “codes”, so that it would take someone who knows me very very well to figure out what it all means. I’ve also included some of that info into a specific file, but recognize the vulnerability of doing that.
Some questions:
1 — Do you have any suggestions for software you would recommend? Or would stay away from?
2 — You mention the importance of having a backup (point #3). If I get a password manager software program, would the info in it get backed up when I do a hard-drive back-up? And/or, I’m considering getting a web-based back-up system…would that data get backed up there too, or is there something else you’re suggesting here?
Thanks,
Yvonne Trostli
June 10th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Yvonne,
To answer question # 1, I published a new post about 2 great password managers I would recommend: http://2organizeu.com/blog/2008/06/10/password-managerpassword-manager/
#2. Yes, if you exported the file and backed it up just as you would any other file that method would work.