Password Security for Seniors I mean (Everyone)
I am sure all of us, at one time or another, have agonized over the various passwords and codes that one has to remember daily. I know I do. 1st of all, I am a system administrator for a military hospital, which will remain nameless. I have numerous passwords that I have to have on hand for the multiple systems that I administer. I have a password system compatible with all military security protocols that are extremely easy to form and store securely. The military uses a two x4 password policy. Two uppercase, two lowercase, two numbers and. 2 unique characters. This password policy can seem daunting, but it is not as complicated as it looks. I don't mean passwords in the traditional sense. What I mean are passphrases. Something simple to remember but complex to decipher and duplicate. That combined with an encrypted location (also password protected) to store them if one has upward of 7 to 10 passwords to remember. More on that later.
Passphrases are the key to something to remember. let us try one
[!TH@Magn@Charta1215] this passphrase has the elements and the complexity that is perfect for the security protocols.
The password listed above, either within or including the brackets, refers to a historical event, not a word (Yes, Captain Obvious, I can see that ). The Magna Charta was a document that was signed in 1215 AD. Notice what it is not. It is not your daughter's birthday or her name spelled backward. It is not an event that cannot be directly associated with any individual or is searchable in a database with anyone as a subject of that search. The beauty of this is that it is unique to the writer and has endless possibilities. It is not tied to real life. The events can be fictional such as (for Star Trek fans) [!TH@K0b@ya$h1M@ru], or
something similar and less complex. G1l1ppioli1915.
Having many passphrases on hand can be daunting, but there are secure locations on one's desktop where they are stored.
In windows, an encrypted password-protected folder can be created on the desktop to store the password list if it cannot be remembered. An application in the Microsoft Office suite makes securing an encrypted file easier. In the OneNote app, there is a provision for a secured file that can contain a list of passwords. Be sure a backup of the data is available in case it is forgotten, as it is difficult or impossible to recover if that event. Forgetting one's password and the complications can be tricky, but any security is better than no security. Remember, numerous applications require passwords, and the number of applications that require complex passwords is expanding rapidly. As stated previously, I work on a military network. We have Common Access Cards that allow us entry into the secured network.
So many of my colleagues have password lists under their desks that contain the passwords they use daily. This policy of keeping hard copy lists is a bad security posture. It can lead to a disaster if not managed. I spread this message to my colleagues and customers, and some have taken that advice to heart.
