Safe passwords that are easy to remember

[kenny]

These days we have to remember so many PWs.
I often think of ways to generate a safe PW that's easy for me to remember without containing personal information.

One idea:
Take the first letters of some saying, quote, or song that already lives in your memory.
For example, the beginning of every original Star Trek episode ... "Space the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise" becomes, "stfftatvotse".
I wouldn't capitalize the first word of sentences or names since that may serve as a clue for a clever hacker, or software.

How bout that real space quote, "That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.", becomes "tossfmoglfm".

A song, "In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight.", becomes 'itjtmjtlst".

I'd also throw in some numbers, but not birthdays, phone numbers, or addresses.
Maybe capitalize the letter from a word or two.
But which word(s)?
Maybe the shortest, the longest, or the one that feels to you like it stands out, such as "lion" in the above song.

It would be even safer if you picked something you remember but the general public has not heard.
For instance, if you wrote your own wedding vows, maybe pick the second and the fifth sentence.


Do you know other unconventional ways of coming up with a safe but easily-remembered PW?

 

[Karl_K]

The most common sayings have been added to the seed lists(lists that are used quickly find if its a common password) so its not as good as it once was without adding numbers and punctuation.
Even using the second letter of each word is in the seed lists as well as just adding a punctuation or number on the end.

I like address for example:
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Becomes:
1!M3#ock1!i3#ngbirD

1 and shift1 which is ! then after 1 character in put the next number 3 and shift3 # then after 3 characters 1 and shift !.
Replace the numbers and shift+number with the actual numbers from the address. Use capitals for the first and last letter. Do not use your home work or parents address. If the number would take you past the end of the word then use 0 instead.

 

[kenny]

Thanks Karl.

I'll stop using that system for anything in the public domain.
But I will use it for a something I make up that means something only to me.

So, what do y'all use to formulate your PWs - naturally don't reveal anything personal here.

 

[kenny]

For obvious reasons I would not trust any app, software, or website to generate PWs for me, or to store them.

If scumbags can hack into Banks, Credit Bureaus, and even government systems nothing on any computer is safe.

 

[Karl_K]

If scumbags can hack into Banks, Credit Bureaus, and even government systems nothing on any computer is safe.

True, if someone is specifically targeting you that has skills its game over.
The good thing is that anyone at that level has higher value targets to go after and their is way more money in targeting stupid using Facebook adds and spam calls.
Even turning someones computer into a ddos drone these days is mostly targeting stupid rather than technical attacks.

 

[Karl_K]

So, what do y'all use to formulate your PWs - naturally don't reveal anything personal here.

different levels for different stuff.
Financial and government stuff very hard passwords that frankly are a major pain.
Stores and stuff like that med hard passwords that are easier to remember and type in.
Forums and stuff like that easier to remember and type but not as secure.
But then again my idea of secure is not the norm.

 

[yssie]

For obvious reasons I would not trust any app, software, or website to generate PWs for me, or to store them.

If scumbags can hack into Banks, Credit Bureaus, and even government systems nothing on any computer is safe.

Multifactor with an external device, like LastPass or a auth yubikey (that doesn't live in your computer!) is probably the most secure authentication and authorization methodology for a regular ol' Joe.

 

[nala]

How about your diamond’s stats? Who else would know those? Lol

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I used to use a certain New Jersey rock star's birthday for my work password but it was very close to the birthday of one of my workmates and im a bad typest

 

[Dancing Fire]

My PW is easy to remember...Kenny's Octavia.

 

[missy]

I am always forgetting my passwords and resetting.
:/

 

[kenny]

My PW is easy to remember...Kenny's Octavia.

Dancing Fire is always getting banned on Pricescope because he is a very very naughty boy becomes, dfiagbopbhiavvnbfw
The fw at the end is for finger wag.

That's REALLY easy for everyone here to remember.
And I'm sure no software would figure out that.

So if you get hacked you know one of us is the hacker.

 

[kenny]

... But then again my idea of secure is not the norm.

That's okay.
I live by that bumper sticker, Why Be Normal?

 

[foxinsox]

I like to use passphrases where they’re supported - so sentences which are usually easy to remember but hard to crack because they’re basically base-26. I’ll also substitute numbers in for some letters or put punctuation in as well.