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Sunday 2 September 2012

How to create a secure password

Recommendations for stronger passwords are never enough, and if you're still using a birth date to access any of your favorite services, you should definitely take a look at this. To say that the password should be long, complex, and as far as possible on words "common" is much easier than implementing it, but with the help of the popular KeePass, you should just remember "a" one password to keep everyone safe your profiles, posts and user names. What about the rest? No chains will be more chaotic than the edge of the indecipherable.
The temptation to use simple passwords is great. Repeat the same password across all services may seem practical in the short term, but the reality is that we do not use the same key for the front door, car, office, locker, and so on. No matter if it is a very long word. More than one can say "destabilization", with seventeen points, and including uppercase and accent could serve as an appropriate password, however, a dictionary attack would it faster than we thought. I can repeat many times to make the effort to use and remember complex passwords. Some have the willpower, but most continue to prefer the dog's name or small pieces of paper stuck on the monitor.
Luckily, there is an alternative, an easy road to travel and quite safe. If the software (in its various forms) whom we demand an ever more important passwords, let the software manage, and this time, we talk about KeePass. Arguably KeePass is an off-line version of LastPass, but this would not be entirely correct since the chronology indicates that KeePass was created much earlier. In fact, KeePass has certain similarities with the "Key" for Apple computers, with the difference that the Key is associated to the operating system, and KeePass lets you create separate databases and laptops. In a KeePass database can save passwords for virtually any program, service or website, and access them with just a few clicks. As if that were not enough, KeePass has a portable version, so you can install a copy on a flash drive and carry in both the program and the database in the same way that actual loads with a keychain.
Entering the world of KeePass is simple, and it all starts with downloading a copy. We recommend version 2.16, although no technical impediments to use version 1.20, which continues with a good level of development. KeePass main window does not say much, but what you should do next is to create a new database. The base location will depend on your preference. You can leave it in My Documents, save it to a hard drive alternative, or remain parked on an external drive. Once you have determined the location and name, you will need to assign a master password.
You should make every effort to remember this password, as it will be the key to access to all others. It is only one, and the prize is forget about all the others, knowing that they are extremely safe and chaotic for anyone to make the attempt sane hand copy. Use the estimated quality meter (the orange bar that turns green as the password is more complex) to check if you're on track.
Step two of the creation of the database requires a visit to the "General" tab, where you can (if you wish) to place a description, and also lashes "Security", "Protection" and "Recycle Bin ". In "Security" you like to increase the number of rounds of transformation applied on KeePass master password to use the result as encryption key in the database. The larger the number the more secure the encryption, but will become slower loading operations and saved in the database. The shortcut is to click on "1 second delay", to obtain the best compromise between safety and speed, but if you're willing to sacrifice a few extra seconds, do not hesitate to increase the number. The tab "Protection" to configure memory protection in the fields in the database. By default, only protects passwords, but as an option you can add a check mark in the "User Name" also. In "Recycle Bin", you just have to remove the checkmark to prevent the use of their internal trash. If you delete something, the better it is deleted.
The database will have multiple entries for example, but decided to delete all our tutorial to working with a cleaner environment. Then you need to add a new entry, specifying the-site-service program, and the password that we will generate. Use the context menu to access the "Add Entry", or press the Insert key. The fields are not mandatory, and if you wish, you can only assign a name to the entry and create a password, leaving out the username and / or Web address (if any). Whether you decide to add the title and the user name or not, the next step leads to the creation of the new password. Click on the icon with the two keys to access the generator.
KeePass offers several profiles to work, but you better get used to create your own patterns of passwords. Here you can choose the type of characters to be used in the generation. You should contact the service or program what kind of characters are allowed to avoid further errors. As for the length of the password ... Again, the limit is imposed by the program or service in question. May exceed sixty characters and not have problems. To make the password even more chaotic, please check the "Collect additional entropy". You will see a new window where you can literally "hit the keyboard" generating random text, and move your mouse cursor over the noise field for greater quality in the password.Within seconds a day
After the generation, you can press the button with the three dots to get a visual idea of ​​how was the new password. Click "OK" and save the database each time you create a new entry for safety. The rest comes down to replace your current password with the new one that you just get. Right-click on the entry will allow you to choose "Copy Password", or you can use CTRL + C to achieve the same effect. The copy of the password in the clipboard is (by default) for a period of twelve seconds, but if you wish to pursue a counter, you can drag the password since entering the password input field in the service. If for some reason you must leave your computer but do not want close to KeePass, you just need to click the padlock with gold background in the main window, to block the work environment. You must enter the master password to remove it from that state.
KeePass offers many options, and has an entire battalion of plugins available, but this is all you need to begin to create, use and manage passwords that literally sweep the floor with the passwords you've used so far. Your personal effort is applied only in the master password, and keeping any copies available to the database you've done. You may think that this is uncomfortable at first, but nothing is further from the truth. In a typical session KeePass will use a few seconds per day, even with the mouse. Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Foursquare ... You name it, and KeePass can better protect it. And yes, it has versions for both Linux and OS X, if you do not like the "Key".