Safety In Numbers

How many usernames and passwords do you have to try and remember? I must have 30 to 40 passwords and possibly a few more usernames as I have the odd password used in more than one place. The problem we all have is trying to tread the line between remembering the information when we need it and keeping it secure.

Do we try and keep all the information in our heads? Or do we write it down? If we write it down, how do we keep it safe? I also tend to log on to various sites away from home so I need some way of having the information constantly with me.

If you just use one or two passwords or always pick easy ones then you are compromising the security of your information. If you have many difficult passwords then you can’t remember them.

What do you do?

I have a colleague who, when setting a password, hits random keys in a spreadsheet, then copies it into the website. Next time he logs in, he opens his password spreadsheet and copies the password in to the login screen. I quite like this idea because his passwords are very secure (even he hasn’t got a clue what they are) and they are recorded (in the spreadsheet) so they won’t be forgotten.

My problems with this approach are:

1. You need to keep the usernames with the passwords, so if your PC gets stolen or hacked, the thief has access to all your passwords in one handy file.
2. You can’t log-in away from your own PC as you don’t know your passwords.

I’m sure someone must have an inventive way round this problem, and I would love to know what it is?

I will do some investigation and let you know what I find. In the meantime please comment with your ideas.