New year, new passwords

Time to change your passwords!

It's a new year, so it's time to change your passwords. I know it seems crazy, but I change mine every year. I use a system which creates a unique password for every site and every account. I also have the year so that I know when I changed the password.

I use a system where I use a familiar phrase, word, or name. I add something to identify the site, a dash, and then the year.

Phrase + site identifier -2015

Your phrase can be anything you remember. Many people use their mantras or the first letter of their children's names or even the city you grew up in. A unique to you phrase is nearly unhackable. Again, pick something you remember.

Your site identifier can be anything about the site - the first three letters of the name of the site, the last three letters of the site's name, why you use the site (ie, bank, school, etc.). The key is to be consistent and pick something that you remember.

And I add a dash and the date. This way I have a non-letter key in the password (the dash). The date helps me to remember when I changed the passwords.

Time to get busy!

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