Remembering Pin Numbers/Passwords nightmare

Stompa

IGK wrote:

I use KeePass Password safe - it's free, open source, and highly regarded.
http://keepass.info/

Yes, I'd recommend that too.

masonic

Madiba wrote:

I use DriveCrypt.

Haven't come across that before, but I use Truecrypt which is a free, open source equivalent.

Madiba_2

yeah as long as it does the same job, it doesnt matter what you use.

Though I would imagine reverse engineering open source to be easier.

Thoughts?

Stompa

Madiba wrote:

Though I would imagine reverse engineering open source to be easier.

It depends what you're trying to achieve. Most of these utilities use pretty standard encryption algorithms. Being able to see the actual code doesn't mean that you'd then be able to figure out how to break the encryption.

realaledrinker

Madiba wrote:

I put the details into a Excel file, dont bother with a password as there isnt any point in using MS Office passwords.

Can you elaborate?

:gulp:

Sillychuckie

i just remember 3 numbers for my pins, and then use the last number on the signature strip as the 4th digit.
this tends to give unique pins for each card, without having to remember tonnes.
a similar approach can be used for online passwords, whereby you append the first letter of the institution name etc.

IGK

Stompa wrote:

It depends what you're trying to achieve. Most of these utilities use pretty standard encryption algorithms. Being able to see the actual code doesn't mean that you'd then be able to figure out how to break the encryption.

Exactly. The fact it's open source means the whole community can verify it's done properly. Doesn't mean the encryption can be 'cracked'
From the KeePass website:

Is it really free?
Yes, KeePass is really free, and more than that: it is open-source (OSI certified). You can have a look at its full source and for example check if the encryption algorithms are implemented correctly.

Perhaps you wonder why I decided to make it open-source. The answer is relatively simple: in my opinion all software that has something to do with security should be open-source. Here's a quote of Bruce Schneier that sums it up pretty good:

As a cryptography and computer security expert, I have never understood the current fuss about the open source software movement. In the cryptography world, we consider open source necessary for good security; we have for decades. Public security is always more secure than proprietary security. It's true for cryptographic algorithms, security protocols, and security source code. For us, open source isn't just a business model; it's smart engineering practice.
Bruce Schneier, Crypto-Gram 1999/09/15

Madiba_2

realaledrinker wrote:

Can you elaborate?

:gulp:

Excel passwords are next to useless. It hashes the password into a particualr place in the file. You can 'decycpher' these very easily.

Madiba_2

IGK wrote:

Exactly. The fact it's open source means the whole community can verify it's done properly. Doesn't mean the encryption can be 'cracked'
From the KeePass website:

Yeah I agree

Fella

A couple suggestions:

If you want to use Excel, do it thus:

1. Create an excel spreadsheet with 3 columns:
A: Account (i.e. Lloyds Bank)
b: Username
c: Password

Then cut the 3rd column & put it in a separate spreadsheet, so you now have two spreadsheets, neither of which is any use without the other.

Keep the Account/username spreadsheet on an encrypted drive on your PC by all means. But keep the password spreadsheet somewhere different entirely. Perhaps on an encrypted USB key hidden securely somewhere. Consider leaving a backup of each spreadsheet with a relative too (different relatives in different houses of course). Obviously you have to update both spreadsheets everytime you open a new account.

To avoid keylogging, consider typing some of your password, then typing a few random letters in notepad, then typing the rest of the password. And/or, type some of it & copy & paste some of it.

If you want to remember PINs, equate each number to a letter. (A=1, B=2, etc, using 0 as O). This gives you O, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I that you can use to make four-letter words.

So DICE = 4935 or G00F = 7006 & so on. Much easier to remember than a PIN even if it may take you a few seconds to work out your PIN from the word in the beginning.



regards
Fella