My Gmail was accessed, which has me rethinking the way I handle the dozens of passwords I am required to remember for online accounts, email, work, school, etc., etc..
I use complex alphanumeric jumbled combinations, only a few of them are duplicates--but being in the process of having to change them all and write down everything again, I am wondering if anyone has any tips or advice for password management.
1Password is absolutely brilliant on Mac with Safari. It's utility goes down a bit with other browsers, but they've made some great strides recently getting the compatibility and features up. It also seamlessly syncs to Dropbox, which is awesome.
Really the only downside is that it's kinda pricey.
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We may curse our bad luck that it's sounds like its; who's sounds like whose; they're sounds like their (and there); and you're sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
I use KeePass and really like it. I have my encrypted password file on my USB drive that literally goes everywhere with me. Once you open it and enter your master password, you can set it to auto-type the passwords into web sites by using a hotkey combination. I also have it programmed to use one of the auxiliary buttons on my mouse.
Basically I just go to the web site, put the cursor in the box, and press the assigned mouse button. Magic!
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One more thing regarding KeePass - you can actually get a portable version of it that doesn't need installing. You can run it right off of your USB drive.
So you can actually take your password file AND the application with you. I'd still be very hesitant about opening up your life's passwords on a sketchy PC (internet cafe, hotel, etc.), but when I go to my folks, in-laws, etc. it is great to use it without having to install the application on their PC.
1Password has changed my entire password experience. Any password that I would deem important gets something unique that I could never remember if I tried.
What I love is that it can hold and auto-populate with other types of information. You can make an identity as well, so I have a home and a work identity. If I'm ordering something online with one click I can have it populate with all work info or all home info.
I also put important numbers that aren't used every day (like alberta health #'s) in it. Sure it takes me 2 or 3 minutes to get past the multiple levels of protection on my phone, but at least it's all there. The worst is when you need to enter your credit card pin. In doesn't happen enough for me to remember it and it always takes me 2 seconds longer to retrieve it than it does for the transaction to time out.
Dropbox syncing is also huge. The fact that I can make one small change and it's reflected on 5 different devices instantly is a killer feature.
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Daughters hide your mothers ... I'm on Twitter @russfee
Does anyone have any experience with passpack? A friend recommended it the other day. They have a desktop app as well as an online version. There are free as well as paid options available too.
Password management?
