Passwords - write them down!

There is a lot of "password advice" around the net. These sites often tell you to generate some long complex password that has no meaning to anyone else but yourself, and not to write it down lest someone see your password and use it to access your account. The problem is that most good people can't remember good passwords and requiring that they do so will only cause them to choose weaker passwords.

The biggest risk to your information in today's time is random guessing of weak passwords or direct access to the database (which bypasses the need for the password). The attackers most people need to worry about tend to not care about who they victimize and instead try to go after as many fish as possible in a large pond. Most attackers don't care about you, they care about data.

Here is an idea on what to do with your passwords

1. Create a Strong Password.
2. Write it down
3. Keep that piece of paper in your wallet and in another secret location in your home

Then if you ever lose your wallet you know to change your password (using the other copy you had in your house).