Managing Your Files, Passwords, Etc.

I'm curious to know how you store your web passwords, files, and anything else, really.

With multiple websites, it sometimes becomes confusing to keep track of everything. I have a folder in 'My Documents' that holds all of my web stuff. Inside this folder, are many other folders, all titled with the site's name of the content they hold. Going deeper, of course, there are many more folders.

For passwords that I don't use often, I store them in text documents, saved inside these folders. This is not safe, especially after the incident I recently had with my GoDaddy account, so I've got things now written and safely stored on paper, and backups on CD's.

Although it works, I do not feel organized like this. I'm interested in some other methods of safely storing and managing everything... basically.

 

Passwords aren't a problem for me, because I use a global password for all my accounts (not smart, I know). It's the usernames that are the problems for me. I've started trying to snag my first name for as many accounts as possible.

Similar to what iHasMilk does, I have alot of my important files organized within My Documents as well, with lots of sub folders and everything.

Elaborating on this topic a bit, how do you guys keep files on your server organized?

 

For passwords, I've developed a system in which I use the same root password, but a different variation of it for each website (ie: scramble the letters around, add a few numbers, etc) at which I register. By doing so, it's not only easier to remember, but also quite secure. Simply put, all of the login credentials that I have ever created are stored in my memory. :p

 

I rely on Firefox for all of my passwords (typically where I'm an admin/moderator I have a special, more complex password). For most websites, though, I use the same password which I have memorized by touch... it's probably too short and I really shouldn't be using the same one everywhere, but oh well. For things like email accounts, though, I have different passwords - which I also have memorized.

All website files have their own folder... I have all of my personal website files, RCTgo files, etc. on my second hard drive, and I need to move my MyBB files over there, but I keep forgetting about it when I'm bored and have time to move them all.

 

Yes, agreed. I'm an extremely organized person, and have always stored all website data (files, important information, etc) into individually created folders (for each website). Also, by using such a method of organization, you are eliminating the chances of losing (or misplacing) important files and data, which can create quite a mess.

 

I use a good ole fashioned notebook. Along with a flashdrive. As to the password it depends. For login to websites (like these) I keep it pretty simple. Administration site, bank and financial site, along with any others that hold secure info I'll usually go as hard as I can think up one.

I use one of the following to check: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/checker.mspx or
http://www.securitystats.com/tools/password.php

 

As chris said earlier yes having the same root/base is extremely effective but due to todays highly sophisticated brute forcers, it can be cracked in merely seconds. my reccommendations are a seperate laptop just follow me for a sec here nd dont hook it up to the internet and just store all ur info on it thenn encrypt the disc. What i have now is an encrypted disc with a thumb print scanner built into my wall so if i need sumtin i scan my finger and it unlocks the list of pass for each site alphabeticly or however u want it set up. i did it through ms access and it is extremely effective

 

For important passwords like serverlogins and root passwords, i'm using a 3 times encrypted password and filestorage tool with passphrase.
since i always work on one website at a time, the directory is placed on the desktop, later its on my encrypted hdd in the archive folders until i need it again. dunno what i could do special about that, never hat a problem with it.

 

What an ongoing challenge. I do have them on hard-drive files. In addition to the vagaries of memory, there is the what-if-I-get-hit-by-a-truck scenario. If someone else had to step in I'm not sure how that would work. A hacker might find them on my hard-drive files, I'm not sure my heirs would. In my life relying on writing them down is the greatest single risk of loss.

 

I keep all my passwords in a password protect One Note notebook stored on an encrypted Flash Drive. I also allow Firefox to store them. Firefox uses the same master password as the One Note notebook. I figure if they have one then they have them all anyway. Most of my passwords are nonsense. Like one is:

skdj39423lklk)(*LSKA(

To log into my bank account online, you need to enter the account name, state my account originated in, password, answer a secret question and enter a 6 digit code that is sent to my cell phone via SMS. Authorizing the computer to login eliminates some of this but still requires a username, password and the 6 digit code. Each 6 digit code is valid for 10 minutes or a single login, whichever occurs first. Two of my credit cards and Paypal have similar codes that have to be entered to login.

I used to store my passwords in text documents within an encrypted folder of my computer but it was troublesome. With the flash drive, I can access my passwords with any computer as long as it has One Note installed. Might switch to KeePass once I figure out how to use it.

 

Just make your passwords simple to remember. Here is the way I do it.

Pick a number that is important to you. This can be your phone number, your birthdate, anniversary, wedding date,,,,,

For an example, lets use the birthday of 01-01-2009.

Proper grammar requires that the J in January be a capital letter. With that we are left with Janaury12009. So we have a mix of upper and lower and number.

This is where the fun kicks in. When typing in letters, just hold the shift key down.

Janaury!@@))(

Lets say that your birthday is March3, 1987. Your password could be March3!((&

And once again, proper grammar requires that a comma be between the date and the year. So we are left with March3,!((&

Easy as pie.

 

Another easy-to-remember method is to use sentences.

MymiddlenameisSmith.

I like your idea though, Kevin!