Write Down Your Passwords Says Microsoft Security Expert

Posted on May 23, 2005

Microsoft security expert Jesper Johansson thinks people should write down passwords. He says he himself has 68 passwords and would forget them all if he didn't write them all.

Writing down a password increase the risk of it getting stolen but it also makes it far less likely you will forget it. Johansson says if people don't write down their passwords somewhere they are more likely to use the same password for multiple services, which is a big no no.

CNET reports Johansson asked the crowd at a conference, "How many have (a) password policy that says under penalty of death you shall not write down your password?"

Many people in the audience raised their hands. Johansson then told the crowd, "I claim that is absolutely wrong. I claim that password policy should say you should write down your password. I have 68 different passwords. If I am not allowed to write any of them down, guess what I am going to do? I am going to use the same password on every one of them."


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