I hate to disagree with Betty, but NEVER use the same password for everything. It's an incredible security risk. Don't forget that hackers don't always come in through the "front door", and if they get hold of your password and you're using the same one for everything, you're compromised. That includes banking, any government activities, taxes done online, game sites, any everything else you need to login to. Use a notebook or a secure password keeping utility.
I'm with Jenn on this, having the same password for everything you have is a BAD idea. You need a different password for everything, and I mean everything. Here's what I do (I dont use Excel either, another BAD idea, if they steal your password file they have all they need) I keep a notebook next to my computer with my information. My username, the email associated to the account and the password. I have a master password for the computer so if someone stole the computer unless they had that notebook too, they'd be screwed out of getting into any of my personal information (including password protected files on the computer). If I didnt have them written down I'd forget them all too. Especially since I have over 3 different email accounts to keep the hackers guessing. (If you bank online this is a smart idea) I used to date a white hat (a hacker who is paid to hack into systems legally) and learned a LOT from him about what to do as well as what NOT to do. Also almost every password has numbers and letters, to step it up a notch you should have a LONG password that includes: number, capitol letters, lowercase letters AND symbols. Mine are at least 20 characters long each.
I have so many passwords, it's ridiculous. I kept them on an excel spreadsheet and then decided that wasn't good either. I printed out the spreadsheet to keep the hard copy away from my computer and lost the hard copy. No problem with passwords. I still had them on a disk. But, it made me realize that I'd rather have an excel spreadsheet than a piece of paper next to the computer. I think the biggest exposure we all have is from hackers stealing the databases of companies with all our information intact.
I hate to disagree with Betty, but NEVER use the same password for everything. It's an incredible security risk. Don't forget that hackers don't always come in through the "front door", and if they get hold of your password and you're using the same one for everything, you're compromised. That includes banking, any government activities, taxes done online, game sites, any everything else you need to login to. Use a notebook or a secure password keeping utility.
ReplyDeleteI'll get off my soap box now ;)
I know many who use an Excel Spreadsheet to keep track.
ReplyDeleteLet me remember them for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jenn on this, having the same password for everything you have is a BAD idea. You need a different password for everything, and I mean everything. Here's what I do (I dont use Excel either, another BAD idea, if they steal your password file they have all they need) I keep a notebook next to my computer with my information. My username, the email associated to the account and the password. I have a master password for the computer so if someone stole the computer unless they had that notebook too, they'd be screwed out of getting into any of my personal information (including password protected files on the computer). If I didnt have them written down I'd forget them all too. Especially since I have over 3 different email accounts to keep the hackers guessing. (If you bank online this is a smart idea) I used to date a white hat (a hacker who is paid to hack into systems legally) and learned a LOT from him about what to do as well as what NOT to do.
ReplyDeleteAlso almost every password has numbers and letters, to step it up a notch you should have a LONG password that includes: number, capitol letters, lowercase letters AND symbols. Mine are at least 20 characters long each.
Ha! Ain't that the truth!
ReplyDeletexo
Sadly I can relate. I try to keep mine as a variation on a theme but even that's confusing. Thank goodness for sites with secret questions or prompts!
ReplyDeleteThanks for playing 6WS!
I have so many passwords, it's ridiculous. I kept them on an excel spreadsheet and then decided that wasn't good either. I printed out the spreadsheet to keep the hard copy away from my computer and lost the hard copy. No problem with passwords. I still had them on a disk. But, it made me realize that I'd rather have an excel spreadsheet than a piece of paper next to the computer. I think the biggest exposure we all have is from hackers stealing the databases of companies with all our information intact.
ReplyDelete