Re: exploring the use of manual encryption of passwords (newbie)

From: Paul Rubin (//phr.cx_at_NOSPAM.invalid)
Date: 09/29/04 

Date: 29 Sep 2004 01:09:15 -0700

"Alex D" <anon@anon.anon> writes:
> So it is nice to have some manual encryption scheme to protect
> pasword lists, without the need of software to decrypt them.

One thing you could do is pick some secret common suffix to all your
passwords. Say your suffix is "khhx9". Then you could write your
list as:

   hotmail fred295, penguin
   AOL freddy231, jellybean
   work fjones, banana

etc. You'd memorize the suffix and not write it down, or else write
it somewhere unobtrusive. Your actual passwords would be
penguinkhhx9, jellybeankhhx9, bananakhhx9, etc.

Just how much trouble do you think someone finding your piece of paper
is going to go to, in order to cryptanalyze your passwords anyway?
Where do you intend to use these passwords? If you're going to type
them into (e.g.) public kiosk computers, maybe you want to be more
concerned about keystroke loggers than someone pulling a piece of
paper from your pocket, figuring out its significance, and using it
against you.

Another thing you could do is use an electronic gadget, either a PDA
or maybe a cell phone. Most cell phones these days have a phone book
feature and maybe some of them can be protected by an access code. So
you'd just store your passwords in the phone book.

Relevant Pages

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