I tried to count today how many passwords I have to remember. It astounded me I think I am up around 30. Proof is in the times I simply forget and have to call a system admin or request a temporary password e-mailed to me. My employer has very very strict naming conventions for passwords and they have to be regenerated on a very regular basis. I travel with PKI certificates etc.
This is a good thing and I can not imagine what would happen to me if I left my password laying out. But amazingly people do that all the time. I about lost my mind one time when a coworker called me and said hey you did not log out of your computer and they need to shut the network down what is your password I’ll log you out. My response was are you kidding me. He had to resort to just turning it off. I was locked out till the IT staff cleared the login but there was no way I was going to give him my password.
You may say why is that. Well I can bet 90% of you use a combination of the same words letters and symbols and rotate them. Giving someone a idea of your initial base set of numbers could open doors that they don’t need to be in.
But there are some Software and Hardware tools out there that can help if you have had to resort to yellow sticky pads with your passwords written down on. [SiliconValley]