Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tech Tuesday Tip - Usernames and passwords #scced #ttdn

It's inevitable.You go to a professional development workshop, a colleague shares a cool website with you, or you've just downloaded a new app and you are asked to create a new account. You enter your username - taken! You enter a password - "12345" isn't secure, try again! What to do?

Image Attribution: Padlock by FreeFoto.com http://www.freefoto.com/images/11/42/11_42_1---Padlock_web.jpg
Here are a couple of links to suggestions on managing your countless accounts that will hopefully help you to develop your own system. Remember, these are only suggestions. A truly secure account is unique to you. I also recommend having separate systems for your highly sensitive accounts such as financial, e-mail, or sites with confidential or privacy related content (student data, etc.)

Teaching Parents and Others About Passwords - By Richard Byrne

Creating Effective Passwords - By Steve Katz


Another recommendation from a colleague is to use http://keepass.info/. KeePass is a free download that you install on a flashdrive for storing and securing all of your passwords. Having a secure and portable password locker is great idea for individuals on password overload.