Password (n.): A secret word or phrase that one uses to gain admittance or access to information. A sequence of characters that one must input to gain access to a file, application, or computer system. Also called passkey.
How many of us really use strong passwords? I always have been using passwords that don't have any relation with my personal life like my date of birth, marriage anniversary or any such events. The passwords with these kind of details are usually easy to crack and do not provide any security to our digital life. Yes, digital life or digital age that we are in where we communicate regularly via e-mail, blogs, chat, IRC etc. All these accounts need passwords and we tend to ignore some basic rules when creating passwords. Wanna know how strong your password is? Go to the hackosis website and find out. If you are paranoid about someone snooping around, download this excel spreadsheet, input the relevant data and find out the strength of your password(s).
How many of us really use strong passwords? I always have been using passwords that don't have any relation with my personal life like my date of birth, marriage anniversary or any such events. The passwords with these kind of details are usually easy to crack and do not provide any security to our digital life. Yes, digital life or digital age that we are in where we communicate regularly via e-mail, blogs, chat, IRC etc. All these accounts need passwords and we tend to ignore some basic rules when creating passwords. Wanna know how strong your password is? Go to the hackosis website and find out. If you are paranoid about someone snooping around, download this excel spreadsheet, input the relevant data and find out the strength of your password(s).
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Why try to think of the world's strongest password when you will just have to keep doing it for every other account you have/sign up for?
Let online applications do what they were created to do - and let online password managers create the strongest password possible for you in literally a click.
http://www.passpack.com
Hope it helps!
Louise
Thank you for the tip. I shall review this utility. However, one has to ask: how safe is storing passwords with a website that deals with only passwords?
@viswas nair tk I am not entirely sure what you mean by 'how safe is it to store passwords with a website that deals with only passwords'?
But here I go anyhow -
Passpack is based on host-proof hosting which means that everything in your Passpack account is encrypted on your browser itself, and NEVER leaves your browser unencrypted. Why is this important? Info is a target when traveling on the web.
So it leaves your browser encrypted, travels encrypted AND remains on the server encrypted. The only person who can decrypt the info in your Pack is YOU - on your own browser.
I hope that answers your question. Here is a post on host-proof hosting that might help as well:
http://tinyurl.com/48qfxb
Passpack focuses on privacy on the web - be it passwords, PINs, confidential data and even Secure Messages:
http://tinyurl.com/4rsusw
Hope it helps : )
Louise
louise, this post was meant for people to know the strength of their existing passwords. But, thanks for the info. I checked out http://www.passpack.com. Initial thoughts; looks like a very good alternative to offline password managers. The host-proof hosting too looks to be a very good alternative to HTTPS transactions.
@Devang Sanghrajka
You could also check the strength of your existing passwords in Passpack. But maybe I did ramble on a but... I have that tendency : )
Glad you had a look and find it interesting!
Louise
@louise
I registered for a free Passpack account.
1) I was trying to import my existing Keepass & Password Safe databases in to Passpack and I think that the importing applet is badly done. Could be a lot better.
2) The password strength checker is "OK". The one that I posted about, seems to be a lot better. It even tells you how long a single PC or multiple computers will take to crack your password. I love this kind of info.
3) Passpack is being developed continuously. I am sure they will work around these negligible issues soon. Good for us and good for them.
4) You can keep rambling. No issues. We learn a lot if people ramble about stuff they know. Now, I am rambling :)
@Devang Sanghrajka
Thanks for all the great feedback.
It'd be great to hear more about your issues with importing. If you like, you can email me at louise@passpack.com
And it is cool that the Hackosis you posted about tells you exactly how long it would take to hack your password but I suppose those are more facts that you'd find on our site rather than in the application itself - We like to make it as simple as possible for our users.
And you're right, Passpack is being developed continuously : ) And thanks to feedback like yours.
So we both ramble!
We can ramble some more. If you like, add me to twitter:
http://twitter.com/LouiseV
Louise
There are several other utilities that you might also consider:
KeePass, Roboform, and LastPass.com
LastPass.com allows seamless import of your IE and Firefox passwords, automatic synchronization to all your PCs, and many other features such as automoatic filling of forms.
If you try LastPass.com and encounter any issues, don't hessitate to contact us at support@lastpass.com
Thanks,
LastPass.com
Folks,
I love to socialize and work and date on the net, but hate passwords to manage and even the security topic.
Security, when done well, should give people more convenience instead of getting in my way!
MashLife.com is the 1st secure password solution that I LOVE. I can now use literally 1 finger to log to all my accounts but the other hand to grab popcorns.
Have fun
Keepass is the king! Cute and handy and secure.
And it is now web enabled so I don't need to synchronize my accounts scattered around all PCs here and there:
http://mashedlife.com/tools.php
Good job, guys.
Mama Mia! so many password managers. Interesting. Thanks all.