Do you have so many
usernames and passwords to remember that you write them down in a book?
• What happens if the book is lost or stolen?
• What happens when you need a password and the
book is at home?
You can buy software to
maintain your list of usernames and passwords. The two major players are:
• RoboForm (http://www.siber.com/)
• SplashID (http://www.splashdata.com/)
How about a free solution? In a previous
blog, I talked about using DropBox (www.dropbox.com) to backup files on your
computer. If you create a document in Word - one that lists your usernames and
passwords, for example - you can store that file on the cloud using your
DropBox account. The file can now be accessed from any computer, smartphone or
tablet that can connect to the Internet and can read a Word document. Your
files are encrypted on DropBox. Only someone who knows your DropBox
username and password can read this file.
How about a less complex
solution for free? Everyone has a USB flash drive. If you don't, the price has
dropped so much that you should go out and buy one anyway. You could copy your
password list onto the USB flash drive and keep the flash drive with you. When
you need to retrieve the password list, simply plug the flash drive into the
USB port of your computer and access the file. If your device doesn’t have a
USB port (i.e. an iPad or Smartphone), this solution won’t work for you.
If you find this solution
still lacking in security because the data is not encrypted, you can encrypt
the file. This article describes the software and the encryption process: http://ask-leo.com/how_can_i_keep_data_on_my_laptop_secure.html
If you are not interested
in encrypting the file, but still want the file to be secure, be crafty in how
you display the passwords. Think up a shorthand memory jogger than only you
would know to store the password.
For example, if your
password was a combination of your son’s name and birthday, you could write
“firstborn bd”. You are limited only by your imagination for the shorthand
notation for your password.
Carl Thorne High Tech House Calls Expert Computer Consulting
voice: 404.229.0839 email: carlthorne@hthcatlanta.com web: hthcatlanta.com blog: hthcatlanta.blogspot.com
