Safekeeping of passwords in paper based system??

[rav]

Hello Everyone,

After losing my pda I've decided to try the paper based approach. One questions that I have is how do you secure your passwords, account information, etc.

With the pda there are plenty of programs out there to secure the passwords. However, with the paperbased system how is this done?

Thanks,

Rav.

 

[hwend]

RE: Safekeeping of passwords in paper based system

I am using an application (Cloak from Chapura - Now it's called TurboPasswords http://www.chapura.com/passwordmanager.php) that has the password data on both the Mac/PC and on my Palm. This way I still have a backup copy in case the Palm data gets lost. Of course I backup both encrypted password files frequently. I do have a printout I keep current that I put in the safe in the hopefully unlikely case that all my electronic data is lost.

Horst

 

[TesTeq]

How do you upload it to a paper based system?

I am using an application (Cloak from Chapura - Now it's called TurboPasswords

How do you upload it to a paper based system? My Moleskine is not equipped with the USB port.

 

[madalu]

I use mnemonics (on paper) -- words that will remind me of the account but would be difficult for someone else to figure out.

For instance, let's say I had an account at Citizen's Bank (which I don't), I might invent a mnemonic such as "Paul Revere's Vault." Or I could use the initials to create another mnemonic, such as "Crazy Bear $" (provided the initials are unique on my list of accounts).

Then I created a separate coding for numbers, which I can use to create mnemonics which I write down.

Thus I have a paper list that will tell me (and, I hope, no one else) my account ID's and passwords. Granted, it's not exactly 128 bit encryption -- but if you're creative enough, you can make your list too difficult time-consuming for the average thief to crack.

 

[1janet]

Hello Everyone,

After losing my pda I've decided to try the paper based approach. One questions that I have is how do you secure your passwords, account information, etc.

With the pda there are plenty of programs out there to secure the passwords. However, with the paperbased system how is this done?

Thanks,

Rav.

I secure my password with software. KeePass is an opensource password manager (keepass.info). Also critical passwords saved at paper with mnemonics

 

[Mark Jantzen]

Managing the Risk - Paper Based

Back to the original question, I think you have a couple paper-based options or things to think about.

First you need to access the risk of losing your paper-based tool. Yes it's possible but what's the likelihood? And, if you did lose it could you manage that event?

You could periodically photocopy relevant pages as a backup. You also might want a separate list (with backup) of critical items like credit cards or websites where you store credit card information.

I used a paper-based solution for years and never lost it once. In my situation it wasn't at risk often enough for me to worry about.

Just some random thoughts.

Mark

 

[Barry]

Even if your system is on paper, you don't have to keep your passwords on paper. You can create a secure online document with account/password information that will be available to you whenever you are online at any computer. I presume you will mostly need these passwords when you are online and logging into internet accounts. The document can be stored in Yahoo Briefcase, Google Documents, AirSet documents, as a message in your webmail account, etc.

Or you could put the info into an encrypted file on a thumbdrive and carry that on your keychain.

You could also create a small paper list that fits in your wallet, which you would be less likely to lose.

 

[Day Owl]

I keep all mine on paper with code words known only to me. Examples:

Password: an obsolete ID number from an organization I no longer belong to
Code: name or abbreviation of the institution

Password: out-of-state license plate from several cars ago
Code: name of car

Password: name of my ex-husband's dog from many years ago
Code: Maximilian's dog

etc.

 

[Barry]

I do something similar. Most of my passwords include one certain string of characters that I can remember easily. For instance, it might be "Rosebud" and one of the full passwords might be "Rosebud1000." Instead of including the "Rosebud" portion on my list, I replace it with a codeword such as "password." Then when it appears on my list, it looks like "password1000" and I know that means "Rosebud1000" but nobody else could use the list without knowing the Rosebud part.