Use Password Grids to Remember Passwords

Most internet users have serious troubles with passwords: they either choose to use the same password on all sites, use passwords that can be easily guessed by looking at the persons background or write all their passwords down to be able to look them up if they forget them. Only a few users use high quality passwords that they are able to remember.

One solution would be to use password safes that store all your passwords securely and can only be opened with a master password. Another method would be to use Password Grids, let me explain the concept. You use an 8×8, 10×10 or bigger grid and create one easy to remember pattern on it.

You could write big letters or numbers on it for instance or draw simple objects, something that is hard to guess but easy to remember. You write it down on the grid using numbers to remember the sequence.

The second step would be to use a second password grid with random chars to substitute the real password.

You create one random grid and a pattern for every login that you have. Once done you only carry the random password grid with you and leave the other cards at home. The ultimate solution would be to remember the objects without having to store the cards at home. You could deposit them at your local branch instead for instance.

Is this system the most secure ever ? Not really. If someone gets hold of your random grid it would be relatively easy to apply the most used forms (letters, numbers, chars) on it. A supercomputer could do this in a short time. They would also know exactly which chars could be used to generate the passwords.

Another problem would be that you still have to remember all the patterns that you have created which would pose almost the same problems than remembering the passwords directly.

This system does not work where someone else is handing out a password to you which can’t be changed.

So, it is nice if you do not fear that someone with enough energy and power is spying on you and wants your passwords badly. If you only fear identity theft this could be a solution.

source: anthony f

Tags: memotize passwords, password grids, remember passwords
Categories: Security

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4 Responses to “Use Password Grids to Remember Passwords”

1. miriano says:

   October 24, 2006 at 4:23 pm

   I use a system that we could call ‘algorithm’. Practically you decide for a certain formula which combines characters from the website title and numbers, which will be not totally evident unless an onlooker has in front many of the passwords. Say that I define a formula like ‘the first two letters, the numbers 3 and 5, the third letter, the number 7′. In this case the password for ghacks would be ‘gh35h7′ This is of course a simple example, the formula can be made longer and more complicated with very little effort and no memory problems. The important advantage is that EVERY site ends up having a different password, and the only thing I have to do is remember a formula. I stumble over sites that I visited once maybe two years ago, and I put in my 8 digits password without problems.

   Reply
2. Martin says:

   October 25, 2006 at 9:34 am

   Interesting

   Reply
3. axea says:

   October 28, 2006 at 7:30 pm

   that is a pretty effective solution

   Reply
4. Mutant says:

   November 22, 2006 at 6:22 am

   Very Nice Solution.

   Reply