Write Down Your Passwords

joeykiller writes "Microsoft's senior program manager for security policy, Jesper Johansson, presents a provocative but interesting view on password policy: He claims that prohibiting users from writing down their passwords is bad for security. His main point is that if users are prohibited from writing down their passwords, they will use the same easy to guess password everywhere." From the article: "Since not all systems allow good passwords, I am going to pick a really crappy one, use it everywhere and never change it...If I write them down and then protect the piece of paper--or whatever it is I wrote them down on--there is nothing wrong with that. That allows us to remember more passwords and better passwords."

Comments

So Pen&Paper's the new replacement for Passpor

[team99parody]

Now we know what's replacing Microsoft Passport in Longhorn - pen&paper!

Ok.

[cmburns69]

Ok, here they are:

Slashdot password: 12345
Personal site password: 12345
Bank account password: 12345

Now my password is even more secure! Yay!

One Word:

[DrunkenTerror]

Tattoos.

Re:One Word:

[Durinthal]

Particularly in a private region. That way no geek would ever have to worry about someone else seeing it!

Wow...

[MrByte420]

I've got the same combonation on my luggage!
(sorry sorry sorry!)

Re:And I'll keep it under my keyboard...

[dodald]

I have a single post it note under my keyboard that reads "9uL1i613".

Exactly right. . .

[Sialagogue]

This is the exact reason that I write all my passwords on post-it notes and stick them to my monitor.

I have a 21-inch tube monitor and it weighs like 80 pounds, so nobody could even get it out the door much less steal it, so my passwords are going nowhere.

I can just see this...

[Em Ellel]

For example, I'm only reading Slashdot from this particular computer, and I'm using a IBM E94 monitor, and there is this Sellotape dispenser on my desk with 1531 written on it. So my Slashdot password can be easily remembered as IBM!1531@E94#, or simply ibm1531e94 for those systems that cannot accept special characters.

I can just see the following request to helpdesk:

Please reset my password as someone borrowed my Sellotape dispenser and I can no longer log in.

-Em

Re:So Pen&Paper's the new replacement for Pass

[PakProtector]

I should expect that kind of talk coming from a young, low uid person like yourself. You kids don't know how good you have it these days. Fancy computer graphics and a machine to keep track of details for you, letting you have your 'action' in 'real time.' Back in my day, we had cardboard cutouts, if we were lucky! Most of us used hand made lead figures that we had to paint by hand! And it could take hours just to do one massive battle because we had to do everything ourselves! In the snow! In our parent's basements! Pssh. You young people these days. I don't want your opinion until your UID is in the lower 50% of the population. PSssh. Kids. Think they know everything. In my day, we were lucky if we knew nothing! You were lucky just to not be a negative container of knowledge, sucking it out of other people until everyone knew nothing. Pssh. Kids.

Re:Don't treat it like cash

[Amoeba]

So if Jackson is on the $20 bill, what do 5 Jacksons make?

The world's most dysfunctional family?

Re:No!

[FirstTimeCaller]

Why put the list in cyberspace at all? That's the beauty of paper, nobody online can steal a sheet of paper sitting in your home/office/dorm/loft/cave.

But I thought you said not to put it on your machine at all!?!?! So what the heck is it doing under your home directory? :-)

Re:Pseudo-Written Password

[Erik Fish]

If they take the Sellotape then you just set the building on fire.