Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Passwords


Merrillee here, wondering how she is going to keep track of all of her passwords. The other day I received a notice from one of my social networking sites. They said that my password had been compromised and that I had to reset my password for that site. They also suggested that I change the passwords for my e-mail accounts. So I did what they requested. Now I'm not sure if I can remember all my new passwords.

When I started doing things online that required a password, I had a standard password I used for everything. At that time, I had one e-mail account and a Yahoogroups account. My password was something that I could remember, and I am pretty sure no one else would easily figure out that password. Eventually, I had online banking accounts, and they required more complicated passwords.

But now my head is cluttered with passwords, and I'm not always sure I'm using the right password with the correct account. The computer immediately lets me know that I am wrong, if I don't have the correct password. Then I have to reset my password again, but how will I remember it?

I heard a story on the news the other day that said some of the most popular passwords are password, 123456, or abc123. Now I can understand wanting a simple password that you can remember, but I also know it has to be something that other people aren't going to use or know. However, if I have to keep changing the passwords, I will never remember them.

I have an account for my IRA that I can't access because I don't know my password, and I can't reset it because I can't answer the security question. I can't figure that one out. Anyway, the only way I can access that account is by going to the physical office of the account manager and produce identification. That office is fifty miles away, so I'm not making a trip any time soon. Now I know that it was a mistake to do away with the paper statement and go with online statements. There isn't a lot of money in there now, and I'm not ready to take it out. So I figure if I can't access the account, no one else can either. I think my money is safe, or at least, that's what I'm hoping.

I'm certainly glad that writing books doesn't require a password, and I'm excited that my latest book, HOMETOWN PROMISE, is now on the shelves.



Do you have multiple passwords? Do you have a method for remembering them? If you do, I'd like to know your secret.

5 comments:

Rose said...

You can use Lastpass (https://lastpass.com/) a browser addon to remember all your passwords for you and then you just have to remember the Lastpass Password (try saying that quickly!). It's a browser addon that works with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari if you have OS X. Hope that helps! x

Merrillee said...

Thanks for the tips.

Missy Tippens said...

A Rolodex! I'd be lost without it. :)

Unknown said...

I use RoboForm and it has saved me more than once.

There is a free version (limited to a certain # of passwords) and the pay to use version. It has unlimited password storage.

This is also recommended by many of the computer geeks that I know.

Anonymous said...

I use an excell spreadsheet.