All of us have logins in many different pages. Only within the last month, my computer tracked 52 cases where I asked my browser to remember my password.
The problem is that most people use the very same password everywhere. And that poses a great security risk. Once someone knows your password, they can jump straight to your Gmail, Facebook, LinkedIn, … Think, a cracker just needs to create a simple web app and ask you to sign up.
I do have a different complex password for every page I login. And I never forget any. This is my simple way to do it.
Hacking your passwords system:
- Decide a common part. Something with more than 4 characters. For example, a common word, but repeating a character (it makes it easier for the brain to remember, and it will disorient dicctionary attacks). For example: elephhant
- Decide a common symbol to use. For example this "%". Do not use very uncommon ones or you won´t find it on foreign keyboards. Sandwich your word with it: %elephhant%
- Here´s the simple twist. Use a letter of the web address you are in. Say I choose the second. In www.facebook.com it would be "a". In www.gmail.com would be "m". Uppercase it and choose where to put it. I choose on the end. That leads to my set of secure, different passwords. For example: in www.facebook.com: %elephhant%A in www.blabla.com: %elephhant%L in wordpress.com: %elphhant%O
With this simple trick, you´ll avoid repeating the password, while enforcing a much higher security practice. If someone sneaks your password, they won´t be able to access other sites.
Last advice, once you decide your scheme, keep it, and change your password on every page you already use.
Extra step: Buy a domain and add it to Google Apps. Then set it up to redirect all email directions to your main one. Then use the url as the user name for each service as login (e.g. facebook@brunosan.eu, linkedin@brunosan.eu, meneame@brunosan.eu). This way you can trace also if the service gave your info to anyone.
…and when you explain your trick to friends, change your choices ;)
