Geek Spot Number 8 By Jeff Timm

Hi! I’m Jeff Timm, personal computer user since 1983. My wife Holly insisted I share my knowledge and answer your basic computer hardware questions.

PASSWORDS

The invention of passwords is lost in history. Now days you are most likely to encounter passwords on computers. They do not shoot you if you get it wrong, but they may not give your data back!

Computer passwords caused the immediate invention of password breaking programs. These programs test a computer connection with a barrage of passwords using the name of a system user. Since your system user name is publicly available the selection of a good password can prevent considerable expense and embarrassment.

Most systems require passwords that are between 5 and 8 characters long. Most require a mixture of numbers, other keyboard characters and letters. Some require changing on a regular basis. A good password is NOT a word from the dictionary. An intruder program can rapidly check a massive dictionary for 5 to 8 letter words. You should also avoid common substitutes. Examples: Using @ for e, 1 for L or Zero for O. Many systems also know the difference between upper and lower case letters. Example: football is different from fOOtbAll.

Writing down passwords is NOT recommended. If you have a lot of them you may have to write them down. Some tricks to remember:

Associate the password with a phrase. Example: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States, becomes 1pA2tf0t.

Associate the password with a name you won’t forget. Example: My mother’s maiden name, Hageman becomes H1g5m1n.

Associate the password with two short words and a number. The classic example: Here2day (which EVERY password program ever written checks first.

Some bad passwords, easily guessed: 1776, 4&7&1776, 1701 (Geeks watch Star Trek and 1701 was the hull number of the Enterprise), your own phone number, your license plate number, your initials or any other commonly used number associated with yourself. Possible exception: The last 8 letters and numbers of your drivers license number or checking number or any other unique number commonly found in your wallet. Don’t use credit card numbers, it might compromise security systems for on line buying by credit card.

"But I don’t really need security! Nobody would hack me!" Ask yourself this, do you REALLY want your on-line account or work account to be used to send out thousands of pieces of Spam?