How often do forgotten passwords interrupt your online activity?

Lost passwords and related instances of lost access data are a common problem. Certainly we've heard the stories about misplaced crypto wallets.

I noticed the following story about a lost YouTube password in March:

Thirteen Years Ago He Explained the Fourth Dimension, Now People Think It's Taken Him

The story is about a YouTube video posted 13 years ago by a high school student that has since gathered 34 million views and 1.5 million likes. One of ten videos posted by xkcdHatGuy. After those ten videos he disappears for six years.

The story is that he forgot his password, and never posted again until over six years later, when he created a new YouTube account, thexkcdHatGuy.

So, for this weeks poll, I ask how often forgotten passwords (or other security data) interrupt your online activity. Besides responding to the poll, I invite you to share a story or two of your own.

Michael

Interesting as I have actually been involved in 3 different password discussion in the last hour. (none having to do with lost passwords but management and changing them)

For me I have so many no way I could keep track of all of them without some sort of password management.

Although I do keep some in a spreadsheet for some things I also use roboform.

Precautions must be taken.
Never store a spreadsheet or file with passwords on a cloud somewhere if at all possible. (few thumb drives are next to nothing but get a few in case one dies)
If you use something like roboform, do not store the data on their server, but back it up regularly locally, make sure that backup gets put on those cheap thumb drives.

Also, it is good practice to use at least a 15 if not 20 character password, numbers, letters, and high ASCII characters when allowed. (!@#$%^&* etc ) Be aware that occasionally, you will be restricted from using a % or "' possibly. And if you also want to paste the password into say excel, don't start it with a special character or excel might see it as a formula in the cell when it starts with some characters.

Rick
Universal4


/side note: happy to help anyone privately if they need individual suggestions on better password management

Counting the days when we can we just do the Face ID for all the passwords! Like I do for my phone and when I go thru US Immigration. :eyebrow:

I don't usually have issues with passwords, but since I have so many to remember (including my own and some for clients), it's tough to keep track of them all.

I'm hesitant to use a password manager for sensitive accounts, so I save the passwords in a Google Docs spreadsheet with the name of the location to which they provide access changed. The document itself has an unrelated title so that if someone were open it, they would likely think it was a mistake.

I know this is a bit archaic and I'm sure there are safer approaches, but this one has worked for me so far.

Keeping passwords on google doc's, is keeping them on someone else's computer, which is why I use a manager (local only) as well as manual ways to keep them with me not with others.

Rick
Universal4

At one point in time, I had 50 sites, and that meant, least for me, 50 different logins to each site's cPanel. Add in all the email addresses, associated to each site. Each of those domains were registered at a handful of different registrars. You can imagine, without some type of password remembering system, one could easily be in a pickle, very very quickly.

Aside from storing electronically (locally), I also used a large diary, which listed the username and passwords for all my accounts.

But what if someone got hold of your diary? Good question... I used acronyms for domains, and a numbered system for cPanel usernames/emails, those numbers were stored in another small-diary, kept in a jacket pocket, in my wardrobe. :evillaug:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by universal4

Keeping passwords on google doc's, is keeping them on someone else's computer, which is why I use a manager (local only) as well as manual ways to keep them with me not with others.

Rick
Universal4

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That thing about having passwords on Google Docs being like having them on someone else's computer sounds scary to me. Could you recommend a reliable solution? Ideally one that I can use for text files as well.

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Originally Posted by NoDepositCasinos

That thing about having passwords on Google Docs being like having them on someone else's computer sounds scary to me. Could you recommend a reliable solution? Ideally one that I can use for text files as well.

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Having the google docs, you could easily export, or even copy and paste each row into excel (if you have office) or even Libre office if you use that instead, or almost any other open source spreadsheet. (then whatever you use, make sure that file is backed up a few places)

Like Dave suggested you can also use a diary or notebook of sorts, or print out a hard copy of what you currently have.

Password management program, I prefer roboform, for a number of reasons, not the least of which it also saves remote desktop passwords as if they are standard logins (don't allow it to shell out to a program, just manually do then as regular passwords), auto backs up and other features. I don't recall the cost of roboform at the moment, I had purchased a 6 year license some time back, but am extremely happy with it.

Main thing with roboform, by default it will store your logins on their server, but there is a simple setting to change to stop that. It works with all browsers.

There are other password managers like, dashlane, 1password, bitwarden, but with any of them, check to see where the data is stored, whether locally or on their cloud. I prefer local storage, vs putting my passwords in the hands of others.

Rick
Universal4

It's honestly a regular interruption for me, probably happening at least a couple of times a month. I've got so many different accounts for work, personal use, gaming, you name it, and trying to remember all those passwords is a nightmare. I've been trying to get better at using a password manager, though. Those things are life-savers.

I once lost my password somehow (it just disappeared from Google Password Manager), and that was enough for me to start storing them. Now, everything is fine.

honestly I just have forgotten my password to GPWA and honestly that wasn't too much of an interruption since the experience was nice! :joy:

I am using an add on to avoid those situations

At this time we are using a manual password management application.
In the future, we would like to see a facial recognition system for PCs.

Having to request new passwords is a rel pain and inconvenience. What is really annoying is waiting for the e-mail to reset the password or having to contact an affiliate manager that does not respond.

Rarely. I have a specific variable pattern for creating and managing passwords based on set variables. Usually, it only causes issues if the service doesn't allow certain special characters lol.

Remembering passwords to partners' accounts is another thing. I could probably save an hour a week if I had an efficient system for that.

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Originally Posted by Bonus Guru

Remembering passwords to partners' accounts is another thing. I could probably save an hour a week if I had an efficient system for that.

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I suggest something like roboform for that.
You can create a folder for each client, or put all client passwords in a client folder. Name them in a way that helps you recognize each client.
Example
client1-site1
client1-site2
client2-site1
client2-site2

This will help find them easy since passwords are in alphabetical order in each folder.

Rick
Universal4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eight

In the future, we would like to see a facial recognition system for PCs.

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I like the idea of that a lot, using applepay and facial recognition for purchases, facial recognition on banking apps and even bookmaker accounts is far, far easier and presumably more secure too.

I think I forget more than I remember. How can I fix this at all so as not to record constantly

Rarely, if ever.

I use a password manager which helps a lot. It's available on my smartphone too.

And I always generate very strong 15-20 character passwords, and on top of that, for security reasons concerning accounts I activate 2FA.

I've started writing down all my passwords now. It's really helpful.
Although one password for all accounts was a good way. Too bad it's not very secure:)