Thursday 28 August 2008

28. Password Protection - Keepass

Many website, include those listed on the blog, require you to enter a password. But what password do you use? You don't want the same as your bank account? And what about your Google account? Do you use that? Is it the same as your Yahoo account? Maybe you signed up for services such as Buzzword, or downloaded some demos? How do you keep track? And as any dyslexic knows, it is all too easy to loose the passwords. That is if you can remember the User Name!

Fortunately we can use the technology to help, by putting all the "keys" in one store, so we only have to have one "key". There are two ways to do this: online and offline.

The best offline version I have come across is Kee Pass. This allows you to store all items in one secure place, and you only need to remember one password. It is award winning open source (ie free) software. There is even a portable version of it.

You can find it at: www.keepass.info.

Online ones will be reviewed later.

And here is a (strongly recommended) suggestion. Keep the password for Keepass written down somewhere safe. I suggest you write it on a piece of paper and put it in a sealed envelope. Duplicate this, and give copies to two trusted people. (Eg one to parents and another a best friend.) Then all you have to do is remember who has it!

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