If you are like me, you have so many passwords to so many web sites that you are starting to forget which password you used where and why. I use to be “old-school” and just keep all the passwords in my head, but as the number of passwords that I need to have keeps increasing so does my forgetfulness of the passwords being used.
I use to have a simple scheme; I would use certain passwords on certain types of sites. For example if I were setting up a password for a bank or other financial institute I would use a highly protective password and I would use it on all bank web sites or web sites that required such high level access. I would then have a different password for what I deemed medium risk sites, and then the same for low risk. This seemed to work well for a little while, but at this point I am just being taken over by the number of places that need me to have a password.
Heck, I cannot even order a pizza online without a password to their site. Makes one want to call the order in rather than wait fifteen minutes for the retrieval of ones password. Not sure if it’s just me or not, but seems that almost all web sites want you to create an account.
Being frustrated in not being able to remember all of my passwords, and to my defense some sites I find that I only visit once or twice a year. A good example is my domain registration web site. I only need to logon to make a payment once a year, every two years if I choose to pay ahead that much, and do you think I can remember that darn password…. Sure, cannot, not today.
Therefore, I have broken down to using a password keeper utility. After looking a few of them, I came across Password Manager XP. I have found this software to be easy to use; it has great options and high security.
To begin with, this utility offers 512 (RC4) securities on the file so that you are sure that your passwords are safe and that people will not be able to access your information. Along with the RC4, encryption is also 3DES, Rijndael, TEA, Blowfish, Cast128, serpent, and Twofish all offering between 128-bit to 512-bit security on your password file.
Another great feature is that this software can support both individual files and group databases. This is a handy feature when say, a team in an office setting needs access to certain resources, and those passwords change from time to time. By using the group feature, each user can use the password saved in the group file to open the team’s resources.
I found that I was able to save a number of different types of passwords, from web site to MSN and social networking utilities to chat sessions to gaming software. Getting started was easy as soon as I went to a web site or used a utility that requires a password the software popped up a box asking me if I wanted to save the password. If I choose yes, then I can add in the username, account type, a Title, and the password, and then click ok. Now when I go back to that web site or utility this software keepers inserts the logon info where needed and I have access to the site or utility
If you need to see the stored password, you can click on the button “Show Password” and your password is not visible. Other features are setting expiration time lines and dates, and a built in password generator. You can install this software onto your thumb drive so you can take it with you everywhere you happen to go.
I think that overall you will be happy with this software and that finally your brain can relax a little knowing that your passwords are all save. I know that I will enjoy using this software.
