Password managers SPLIT FROM Senior trying to set password...

[ChrisGreaves]

...but it gets harder to remember all the passwords without writing them down

I keep all my passwords in a MSWord document (whose name is NOT Passwords.doc!) so that I can, in most cases, copy-and-paste into a browser page on demand.
I use a password generator that makes a password from character codes based on the current date and time e.g. right now it yielded "2cbzsxwkp"

[BobH]

Being the official Lounge Pedant, I need to encourage a good standard of jocose exchanges.

However, I appreciate that the American sense of humor is deficient by one letter compared with the British sense of humour!

Ah, yes, but we Americans DO enjoy the economy and humility of that deficiency, too.
Does that mean that we mince words? Or is that a more common British trait?

[StuartR]

I have been using Roboform to store all my passwords for a while now, it seems to be working well.

I have one very long and complex password that I have to remember
This is used to encrypt every other password (plus whatever else is needed to logon to each site) - and it does so locally on my PC
Roboform generates long gibberish passwords that I use for every web site
The encrypted version of each password is stored on the web and synchronized to all my devices
The long complex password is NOT stored on the web and Roboform can't access my encrypted passwords
I can log on to any of my accounts using my PC, my Android phone, or any other PC using a USB stick that also synchronises the encrypted data

I don't use Roboform for any financial sites (bank, credit card etc.) - maybe I will one day but I don't have enough trust in it yet

[IMNetUser]

I only recently came back due to, well that is a boring story for another century.

Forgot your password ?

How did you guess ?!?!?!?

[IMNetUser]

ChrisGreaves:
I used to use a word document but than into problem of needing passwords at work, library and/or home computer.
I put the document on a USB drive (encrypted and password protected - but then needed to make a backup in case I lost it (getting senile I suppose).
When I lost one of my USB drives - I stopped and used the algorithm idea.

It still is a valid idea that I encourage the kids to use for home use of their devices.

StuartR:
I have always been a little leery of Password Managers and the ability of hackers to gain access.

For similar reasons, I have been leery of "Cloud" storage of important files. I realize technology is going in this direction.
Major corporations and governments are already using this technology.

Having said that - I will check out Roboform in more detail. Initially it looks promising.

I have had my identity stolen once in my life and once was more than enough. Even after more than 20 years, I have problems from that "incident" pop up once in a while.

I guess that is why I tend to be slightly paranoid.

[BobH]

Scott, just because we're paranoid doesn't mean that the b*******s are not out to get us!

I, too, am leery of cloud computing. Having spent some time in my career dealing with encryption and security in networks I came to believe that for every technique there is a way to break it. I steer clear of the cloud for anything but photos that do not include people.

[IMNetUser]

Scott, just because we're paranoid doesn't mean that the b*******s are not out to get us!

I, too, am leery of cloud computing. Having spent some time in my career dealing with encryption and security in networks I came to believe that for every technique there is a way to break it. I steer clear of the cloud for anything but photos that do not include people.

I agree

However, I am working on my own "Cloud" - a Network Access Storage drive on my network that I can access remotely. I have setup as simple version now inside my firewall to share music, photo's, backup images etc on the home network.

I know how to make a NAS Drive "Visible to me remotely - just have not determined the best firewall/protection software where I will trust important and/or sensitive files on it yet. NOT a pressing need since I have created a USB Drive with those files on them and carry the drive with me when I need it (encrypted and password protected of course).

[StuartR]

...
StuartR:
I have always been a little leery of Password Managers and the ability of hackers to gain access.

Me too, that's why I don't keep my financial information there. I think it is probably fairly safe, as Roboform don't have access to my long complex password so there should be no way they can compromise my passwords, but...

Unfortunately the info needed to access all my financial sites is locally encrypted on a TrueCrypt partition, and that looks like it is going away so I am going to have to come up with an alternative.

[DaveA]

I can just see a DDoS attack at http://www.roboform.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and no one is getting into their passwords for a week or two.

Yes, I know that the local copy may be able to access your passwords, but the way the "Cloud" is being pushed, the above statement is true.

[StuartR]

Dave,

Yes that is a real concern, although Roboform does keep local copies of all the passwords and only seems to use the cloud to synchronize between devices.

I also still keep a local TrueCrypt partition with all my passwords, but don't know how much longer to use it for.

[StuartR]

I just moved these posts here, they were previously in this thread in Scuttlebutt