Password stupidity.
I'm sure I'm not alone here, but about 5 years ago I decided to start using a password that had 8 characters, one of which is a number. This seemed to satisfy most fussy password requirements, and is to my mind a sensible requirement. It's a pretty random word, and I use the number '1' instead of the letter 'I' in it, so it's easy for me to remember, but absolutely unguessable for anyone else.

I use the same one for pretty much everything.

Apart from a couple;

- Visa verification. It seems at some point I used this password, but then forgot I'd changed it. I had to reset my password, but I got the message 'You can't reuse one you've used before'. So I had to use another one. Which I forget every time, so I have never actually put the correct password in, I have to change it every time. The no repeat rule ensures I now just put random crap in, knowing I'll have forgotten it by the next time.

- London Borough of Richmond upon thames. They have decided the password must also have a capital letter.

- Barclays. Theirs is 5 numbers (I think). I have no idea what mine is, so when I call I just have to do the security questions, which in fact have been the same 3 questions for at least 10 years. DOB, mothers maiden name, and details of a direct debit.

When they ask if I want them to send me a new password (passnumber?), I just tell them not to bother, I won't remember it.

Thing is, these rules are only workable if I write the thing down and carry it with me. How brilliantly secure. Well done people.
(username failed moderation, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 8:52, 9 replies)

Using the same password for every service
is asking for trouble, though. All it requires is a hack against one of the services you use, and someone will potentially have access to everything.

Get them tattooed on an intimate part of your body, to mitigate against theft.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:07, closed)

Yeah, I know it's not the best idea
but it's still better than writing it down.

IMHO.
(username failed moderation, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:39, closed)

I keep my vast password collection
in a txt file, on my PC. I am king of security.
I've also started to reuse passwords, but only on sites where I don't care if they get nicked (stealing my BBC ID will get you into my cnet account - oh no!).
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:45, closed)

Check this out:
xkcd.com/936/
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:08, closed)

All well and good, but the
'hard' password wouldn't have been acceptable for any of those I mentioned.

The 'easy' one would work for 2 out of the three though.
(username failed moderation, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:41, closed)

Here's a trick on how to use the same password on everysite but to keep it unique for every site at the same time...
Pick your "root" password.

Pick a spot in the password

Add 3 letters from the site your are accessing to the password.

eg:

password1b3t
password1gma
password1por

etc.
( Crap Little Monkey Deathstar, so good they built it twice, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 9:47, closed)

That's not a bad idea.
Needs to start with a capital letter, but otherwise it'd probably work quite well.

Good thinking.
(username failed moderation, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 10:03, closed)

Why don't you try developing some basic memory function you barely function spaz?
You sound like the kind of person that can be relied upon.
(The Magic Number is neither magic nor a number, Fri 24 Feb 2012, 15:00, closed)

You barely function spaz.
My new favourite insult!
(badgerlikespeed, Sat 25 Feb 2012, 8:52, closed)