Technical issue

[JJJ]

thanks very much! have not visited them in years, thought they were dead (music sites) but turns out they are still going. Must have been thinking on another site that died. I do tend to keep the same password everywhere tho, so maybe I should be a little more security conscious in that regard.

but thanks actually for the advice

No worries mate. There are plenty of good password managers out there that you might want to look into. They make things a lot easier. Lastpass is a good one that's easy to use. Masterpassword is probably a better option if you carry a smartphone with you, since it doesn't require internet access to use. There are so many sites around these days that require passwords that it isn't realistic to remember strong, unique passwords for all of them.

Whatever you do don't use your banking password with any other site. That's just asking for trouble.

https://www.lastpass.com/
https://ssl.masterpasswordapp.com/

 

[terry j]

No worries mate. There are plenty of good password managers out there that you might want to look into. They make things a lot easier. Lastpass is a good one that's easy to use. Masterpassword is probably a better option if you carry a smartphone with you, since it doesn't require internet access to use. There are so many sites around these days that require passwords that it isn't realistic to remember strong, unique passwords for all of them.

Whatever you do don't use your banking password with any other site. That's just asking for trouble.

https://www.lastpass.com/
https://ssl.masterpasswordapp.com/

oops, pressed reply and not like. But like to the above anyway. That's the main reason I am not too worried I guess, I do not and never have done any sort of banking. Tho I have used paypal a few times, that would be my 'only' financial risk.

Even then, I don't actually know my password, it is remembered for me. Dunno if that is smart or stupid to be honest. And sadly, only really use one password (usually, if I can) across everything. If it had to be changed, and I try and log on 'months later' I am usually in a world of trouble if it has not been remembered.

Have never owned a mob ph in my life, and will proudly go to the grave being (probably) the only person in the western hemisphere to have never owned one.

damned, rude bloody unsocial fucking things they are. well I guess they are not, the stupid fools who simply cannot live their life without them are the unsocial ones.

 

[JJJ]

I'd be pretty worried about the paypal password if I were you, assuming it's the same password that was leaked in those data breaches. Definitely change that one. Make a new one, write it down on a piece of paper and tuck it away somewhere safe. Even the gagr guys now have enough info to have fun with your paypal, though I'm sure they wouldn't.

Unsolicited advice ending....here

 

[terry j]

I'd be pretty worried about the paypal password if I were you, assuming it's the same password that was leaked in those data breaches. Definitely change that one. Make a new one, write it down on a piece of paper and tuck it away somewhere safe. Even the gagr guys now have enough info to have fun with your paypal, though I'm sure they wouldn't.

Unsolicited advice ending..here

solicit away!!

will check, will be interesting what the paypal password is (years old) vs my new super duper current secret password is..

not that I know.

but yeah, been great.

thanks

 

[mst]

oops, pressed reply and not like. But like to the above anyway. That's the main reason I am not too worried I guess, I do not and never have done any sort of banking. Tho I have used paypal a few times, that would be my 'only' financial risk.

Even then, I don't actually know my password, firefox remembers for me. Dunno if that is smart or stupid to be honest. And sadly, only really use one password (usually, if I can) across everything. If it had to be changed, and I try and log on 'months later' I am usually in a world of trouble if firefox has not remembered it.

Have never owned a mob ph in my life, and will proudly go to the grave being (probably) the only person in the western hemisphere to have never owned one.

damned, rude bloody unsocial fucking things they are. well I guess they are not, the stupid fools who simply cannot live their life without them are the unsocial ones.

XXXX remembers for me - this is a real issue that most get sucked in to. Those wanting your information will first look where it most likely would be. So for passwords it anything that may remember (store) it or where you have typed in the password incorrectly (computers remember everything!) or by hacking and using key-loggers.

Most people tend to use fairly obvious passwords which is also an issue.

But before you panic its the old school basic logic techniques that best protect. Good strong password (Long with upper and lowers case. numbers and symbols all used are really good - use a saying. EG: @jeRRiesIcGAGR#BS - @=at so its easy to remember, your name mixed up, the I c as in I see, and the rest is simple babble that you remember like the BS in the GAGR comments.

Then is basics. Keep it safe, change it every so often , and avoid "remember" setting on browsers. Unless you have paid for good security software with a password manager be cautious using freebie stuff.

Perfect example is Whatspp issue that the politicians got in trouble with. People thought its great, safe, encrypted and it is; except for the part where its hosted off a sever in China so every single bit of information goes via that server. So a one stop hacking treasure trove and record of every conversation.

Its a common mistake that people make especially with freeware stuff.

 

[terry j]

haha, just edited my post to say 'remembered for me' thinking I'd better not display to the world 'what' remembers for me, but it is quoted in your post anyway!! All good plans and all that stuff.

How many have the one 'good' strong password that is used everywhere, how many have multiple passwords for different places.

might go and change a few, esp in paypal. Funnily enough the missus asked me this morning if I had used HER paypal to buy something, which I hadn't. Seems we bought an EZ link pass (public transport I think) in rochester NY yesterday!

 

[mst]

Ah, foreign girl on the side hey?

Most internet browsers are similar and there aren't that many so mentioning which one you use is not a big thing.

Paypal are usually pretty good. The mother in law has had her creditcard used twice now O/S. Both instances it was linked to using it O/S and the way hotels store information (credit card as deposit).

 

[terry j]

yep, she is a kiwi! foreign girl indeed. makes it tough during bled season

 

[JJJ]

How many have the one 'good' strong password that is used everywhere, how many have multiple passwords for different places.

Personally I use lastpass, which only requires me to remember one strong password and generates/remembers all my other passwords for me. It isn't the best option as mst pointed out, since it's theoretically vulnerable to hacking. I use it because I've been too lazy to switch to something safer, and it's really convenient.

The masterpassword app I linked above is a better option because it doesn't store your passwords, it just generates them. It 'remembers' them because the process by which it generates them is replicable for it using the information you provide in your username, the website name and your password. So there is nothing to hack. But if you forget your master password for that you're screwed. There's no way to retrieve it.

I also use a keystroke scrambler which is meant to thwart keyloggers. I don't know how good it is, but it makes me feel better.

As for making a good password, this comic might be helpful:
https://xkcd.com/936/