Passwords
Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 5:55 am
Since we're into computer talk, let's talk passwords. I've been hearing for almost 10 years that the "era of passwords" is almost over and soon we'll not have to use passwords at all. And despite all this prognostication- I still have to maintain hundreds of passwords.
I was that guy that used the same complicated password for my accounts. I had a one password for all my trash accounts I didn't care if they got hacked; one for things I kind of cared about; one for work stuff; and one for really important stuff like taxes, banking, etc. But the problem with this system is that you get a notice every two or three months that one of your websites got hacked and your password is now readily available for sale. So then you have to change all those. Then three months later you have to do it again.
That's when I decided to invest in a password manager. I use Dashlane, and I think it costs me $60 a year. I now have a different password for every site I use (some generated by me and some randomly by Dashlane) and, when something gets hacked, I just have to go to that site to change it. It has a browser extension and an app on my phone (which iOS recently integrated so it plays nice with apple) so when I get to a site, it automatically enters my login and password. On my phone it requires FaceID to do it, which is easy to use. My Dashlane password is a complex one that I have memorized and is now the only password I need to know.
It's not a perfect system, but it's the best I've seen while we wait for the era of passwords to truly pass by. What is everyone else doing?
I was that guy that used the same complicated password for my accounts. I had a one password for all my trash accounts I didn't care if they got hacked; one for things I kind of cared about; one for work stuff; and one for really important stuff like taxes, banking, etc. But the problem with this system is that you get a notice every two or three months that one of your websites got hacked and your password is now readily available for sale. So then you have to change all those. Then three months later you have to do it again.
That's when I decided to invest in a password manager. I use Dashlane, and I think it costs me $60 a year. I now have a different password for every site I use (some generated by me and some randomly by Dashlane) and, when something gets hacked, I just have to go to that site to change it. It has a browser extension and an app on my phone (which iOS recently integrated so it plays nice with apple) so when I get to a site, it automatically enters my login and password. On my phone it requires FaceID to do it, which is easy to use. My Dashlane password is a complex one that I have memorized and is now the only password I need to know.
It's not a perfect system, but it's the best I've seen while we wait for the era of passwords to truly pass by. What is everyone else doing?