How can we avoid remembering passwords?: LiveSimplicity discussion forum

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I'm completely fed up with having to remember 20+ passwords for different systems inside and outside of my company. On top of this, they all change with different intervals. What can I do?

View A

It's your problem - just manage them better by using different tools to keep a secure record.

View B

There is a clear need for common standards and tools such as fingerprints and iris scanners, we're just not there yet.

20 comment(s) so far

Warren thinks: Fingerprint biometric recognition is already here. Keyboards and Laptops with built-in FP Scanners offer easy to use authentication systems and requires a simple swipe of your digit over the FP scanner. Windows account security login and website accounts are easily logged into by swiping finger over a unobtusive scanner without the need to push any "OK".

trimm thinks: Assuming the technology is secure, let's move toward biometric forms of identification.

awakened thinks: Biometric recognition sounds like a very reasonable choice, but it's not exactly there yet. There are many areas that the use of such a technology is economically impossible at the moment. I think that some time in the future biometric security methods will become much more wide-spread, but for now, try to use tools like a password wallet. Many phones are equipped with this feature, a place where you can store user names and passwords, using one global password for all of them. If you manage to find a secure enough phone, and keep a backup list somewhere really safe (in case your phone is lost or stolen), you might stand a chance. Also, it would be a good idea to avoid describing what each user name and password saved in your password wallet is used for, so in case someone does manage to access them, they wouldn't know where to use them. Again, some security issues arise from this, but it beats passwords retrieval every time you forget!

clo thinks: Although I agree that passwords are a major problem especially when there are so many systems that use password access and none of them are linked together, I don't think biometrics is the answer. Microsoft passport works do certain degree, allowing you to access all microsoft sites with the same login. I feel we need a system where there is a single login or special key to let us access personal information.

howie1310 thinks: I keep a note of my passwords, also my security holds them for me, filling them in when necessary

Alexkaatsch thinks: Firstly let me establish that I'm not any kind of expert ! I think that the internet's communication language needs re-writing/modifying/replacing so that a lone computer speaking to another computer elsewhere on the 'net can't be portayed identically by a third computer. In the same way that an individual recognises another individual, by habit, mannerism, appearance etc, so too should we be recognised by that which needs to know us. Genetic fingerprinting is all very well, but while we still rely on two computers saying 'yea' or 'nay' to each other based upon snatchable data, the whole silly idea is pointless.

tolislagers thinks: In my opinion biometric identification adds unnecessay complexity to the user experience. There must be a more simpler way to deal with this problem. At the moment I'm storing passwords on my cellphone. That may not be the safest thing to do, but what is the chance my cellphone gets stolen combined with the fact that the person knows where the passwords are for. Perhaps it would be easier to add a very simple password "vault" on devices we carry along. Just thinking...

newman42 thinks: There is a definite need for alternate forms of identification. The question becomes 'what are the security risks?'. Any form of security has its risks, but we need to find ways to minimize these risks and provide convenience at the same time.

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