Security and a reset

[Billibus_Maximus]

Another option for passwords is a password manager like KeePass, Password Gorilla, etc.

This lets you keep a separate strong password for each site in a single encrypted database. That way you only have to remember the master password to unlock the database, then you can copy and paste your password into the login form with a couple of clicks. Some of the programs even have built-in password generators.

Personally, I keep a couple of separate databases - one for work passwords, and one for personal passwords - then I store them in a cloud service like dropbox or wuala.

[Flush]

Really? I'd probably do the opposite and make damn sure the databases stay the hell out of the internet, on a thumb drive or something.

[Billibus_Maximus]

Really? I'd probably do the opposite and make damn sure the databases stay the hell out of the internet, on a thumb drive or something.

I used to use a thumb drive, but I was always either forgetting it, or worried about losing it.

Storing a copy of it online means I pretty much always have access to it (from my phone if nothing else). And from a security perspective, even if the storage service is compromised, the database itself is encrypted. So as long as your master password (or better yet passphrase) is strong, you don't really have too much to worry about.

Security is a trade-off between risk and convenience. For me, mine is the better way. But you could certainly do the same thing with a thumb drive if that's your preference.

[LoGiCaL__]

Another pro for having your password saved is that god forbid you ever had a key logger on your machine you wouldn't have to type in the password. Hopefully the service hashes the password before storing it in the database.

[Flush]

I've just gone and created a couple new email accounts and changed the passwords for almost everything I use.
It's amazing that people remember such long, difficult passwords for everything they use. I think I'm gonna have to use weaker passwords after all, otherwise I'm gonna be checking the password file every time I want to log into something