Password / username manager

larkim

I'm starting to get fed up with different companies telling me how I should protect my own accounts across a range of different services.

Whereever possible I try to use one of two different usernames, one for sites I want to be really secure, and another where I am more relaxed about it (e.g. forum postings).

I then utilise either a very secure password (> 10 characters, incl mix of alpha, numeric and symbols with no common words), or a very memorable less secure password.

For my purposes, I am happy with this level of security.

However, due to the restrictions and policies of various banks, utility companies, online stores, etc etc, I now have about 20 different iterations of usernames / passwords which I am obliged to use and which differ from my normal approach.

For example, say my normal username was freddie

I now need
freddie
FREDdie
freddie123
freddie132
freddie123!
etc etc

And if my password was "password", I would need to pair the above usernames with a variety of passwords such as
pa55w0rd
password
PASSword
PASSword123
pa55w0rd123!
etc etc

I'd also then need to answer "additional security questions", often with absolutely none of them having any applicability to me!!
What is my favourite colour - I DON't HAVE ONE
What was your first pets name - I'VE NEVER HAD ONE
What is your favourite film - IT CHANGES EVERY WEEK
What is your favourite popstar - THAT DEPENDS ON MY MOOD

(Where I do have the ability to put any old answer in, I use a secure phrase which will be totally unrelated to the question asked, but that's not always feasible, or the character limits on the text box are too small)

All very confusing. Add to this the fact that when I sign up with a company I invariably use a distinctive email address for each company so that I can trace the source of spam (e.g. here I would use mse.myname@mydomain.co.uk, with lloyds I would use lloyds.myname@mydomain.co.uk), but even remembering that isn't easy - for example, did I use "lloyds" or "lloydstsb" or "tsb", so sometimes password recovery can be a pain!!

Anyway, my reason for posting here was to see if there were any reputable, good value for money, online (so I can access anywhere) services which provide encrypted password / username services which would help me through this dilemma.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help me!

Matt

crazyguy

stinky_daddy

I use a free program called Password Safe (although there are many other similar programs out there) which allows me to store all relevant information (username etc) and also offers the ability to either create a password or it will randomly create one for you (based on the criteria you select - i.e. must contain 1 digit, can be upper / lower case etc).

Access to the program is via a code, so all you need to remember is one code (I use my banking PIN)

I find this invaluable personally.

HTH

s_d

*Amended to add that I carry this on a USB stick with me and keep a copy on my laptop as a back-up

InsideInsurance

There are programs like that, 1Password is favoured by Mac users and also has an iPhone/ iPad version.

The downside of these things is if you are away from the application and need to log in to your online banking or email etc you cant as you dont know the 30 character random password it created for you.

Marty999

Lastpass is very good.

ChiefGrasscutter

keepass
I use the 1...... version rather than the 2.... version as the earlier version does not need the .net framework to be installed so is more portable and self contained.

larkim

Cheers. I'll take a look at those. Unfortunately I don't carry a USB stick with me (and don't intend to), so anything I used would have to be "online". And then its "who do you trust"?!

Thanks for the pointers.

Any to avoid?

Matt

grumpycrab

I use Roboform. But not the online version which is here https://online.roboform.com/

ChiefGrasscutter

larkim wrote: »

Cheers. I'll take a look at those. Unfortunately I don't carry a USB stick with me (and don't intend to), so anything I used would have to be "online". And then its "who do you trust"?!

Thanks for the pointers.

Any to avoid?

Matt

I would not trust an 'online' storage under any circumstances.
What happens when they suddenly become "unavailable"
Not sure how the banks T&C's view online storage of passwords since it is no longer under your exclusive control.