Tag Archive | "Password"

4 Common Ways To Password Protect Your Windows User Account


class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ChangeDefaultPassword01.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />Protecting your computer with a password should be common practice, especially if many people potentially have physical access to it. Windows provides several levels on which you can set passwords to lock your user account. This article will introduce you to all common options and hopefully one will work for you.

Before we even start with password protecting your computer, please make sure you understand how to create a strong password. Here are a few articles to help you out:

  • title="5 Free Password Generators For Nearly Unhackable Passwords" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-websites-to-generate-a-safe-and-strong-password/">5 Free Password Generators For Nearly Unhackable Passwords
  • title="How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-strong-password-forget/">How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget
  • title="How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-create-strong-password-that-you-can-remember-easily/">How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily

If you believe you have a reasonably good password, you may want to title="Put Your Passwords Through The Crack Test With These Five Password Strength Tools" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/put-passwords-crack-test-password-strength-tools/">put it through the crack test.

Set Windows User Account / Logon Password

Now I admit setting a Windows password is not very creative, but this is a method worth mentioning nevertheless. Why? Not only will this password be required when the computer is booted, you can also protect an active session in many different ways.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ChangeDefaultPassword02.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />

To set an account password in Windows 7, go to your User Accounts via the Control Panel and ‘change’ your password. Moreover, you should make sure a password is set to title="3 Default Passwords You Must Change & Why" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-default-passwords-change/">protect your Administrator account.

Note that a Windows logon password is a very weak defense since it is rather easy to crack, as outlined in these articles:

  • title="3 Ways to Reset Forgotten Windows Administrator Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-to-reset-the-forgotten-windows-administrator-password/">3 Ways to Reset Forgotten Windows Administrator Password
  • title="5 Tips To Reset The Administrator Password in Windows XP" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-tips-to-help-you-reset-a-forgotten-windows-xp-password/">5 Tips To Reset The Administrator Password in Windows XP

Lock Active Session

Clicking the [Windows]+[L] keyboard shortcut will lock your active Windows session. To get back to your desktop requires the Windows password.

For a more ‘transparent’ desktop lock, check out title="ClearLock" href="http://www.swanrivercomputers.com/programs/clearlock">ClearLock, which was reviewed in title="ClearLock – A Cool Transparent Desktop Lock For Windows" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/clearlock-cool-transparent-desktop-lock-windows/">this article.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/02a-The-computer-is-locked.jpg" alt="how to password protect your computer" border="0" />

Enable Wakeup Password

Do you use Hibernate or Sleep? Enable a password on wakeup in your title="Windows 7 Power Options And Sleep Modes Explained" href="Windows 7 Power Options And Sleep Modes Explained">Power Plan’s advanced power settings.

Search and open > Power Plan from the Windows 7 start menu, then click > Change plan settings on your present Power Plan, click > Change advanced power settings in the bottom left. Expand the first item within the Power Options advanced settings and select > Yes. Click > OK and > Save changes.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CreativePassword02.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />

Enable Screen Saver Password

To set a password when returning to the desktop from the screensaver, right-click your desktop and select > Personalize. Click on > Screen Saver in the bottom right. In the Screen Saver Settings check the box next to > On resume, display login screen. Click > Apply or > OK to save changes.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CreativePassword03.png" alt="screen saver password" border="0" />

Password-Free Lock Options

If you’re not keen on using passwords, but do want to lock your computer, have a look at these alternative methods:

  • title="Two Unique Ways To Log Into Your Windows Computer Without Typing A Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/unique-ways-log-windows-computer-typing-password/">Two Unique Ways To Log Into Your Windows Computer Without Typing A Password
  • title="Lock Your Computer with Bluetooth Proximity Lock Utility" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/lock-windows-computer-bluetooth-proximity-lock-utility/">Lock Your Computer with Bluetooth Proximity Lock Utility
  • title="3 Ways To Lock Your Keyboard & Mouse And Keep Your Computer Safe From Unwanted Guests [Windows]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-lock-keyboard-mouse-computer-safe-unwanted-guests-windows/">3 Ways To Lock Your Keyboard & Mouse And Keep Your Computer Safe From Unwanted Guests

Conclusion

There are many ways and places to set passwords. They will certainly keep the average user from accessing your computer and getting hold of your data. However, as mentioned above, it’s possible to hack, crack, or circumvent passwords and often this is an easy task for an experienced user. The following articles highlight this dilemma:

  • title="Ophcrack – A Password Hack Tool to Crack Almost Any Windows Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hack-windows-passwords-with-ophcrack/">Ophcrack – A Password Hack Tool to Crack Almost Any Windows Password
  • title="How To View Passwords Hidden Behind Asterisk Characters" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-recover-passwords-from-asterisk-characters/">How To View Passwords Hidden Behind Asterisk Characters
  • title="6 Free Password Recovery Tools for Windows" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-free-password-recovery-tools-for-windows/">6 Free Password Recovery Tools for Windows

Rather than depending on a single password, be sure to secure your data in many different ways and consider to title="TrueCrypt" href="http://www.truecrypt.org/">encrypt your confidential and sensitive data.

Do you even bother settings standard Windows passwords? Do you use any alternative or creative methods of securing your computer?

Image credits: title="Password Lock" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=44569345">myVector



View full post on MakeUseOf

Posted in Useful APPsComments (0)

Password Safe 3.27


Password Safe allows you to manage your old passwords and to easily and quickly generate, store, organize, retrieve, and use complex new passwords, using password policies that you control. Once stored, your user names and passwords are just a few clicks away.



View full post on FileHippo.com

Posted in DownloadsComments (0)

Let Wolfram Alpha Create Your Password For You


class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/icon5.png" alt="wolfram alpha password" /> href="http://www.wolframalpha.com">Wolfram Alpha terrifies me, in all honesty. It’s like SkyNet combined with href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google">Google, and we know all about those two things – they will eventually href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-sold-soul-internet/">take over the world. (Yes, one of them may be fictional, but you get what I am saying, I hope.)

However, one of the niftier things that Wolfram Alpha has to offer these days is its ability to generate passwords for all your favorite services. Let’s take a gander at just how this works.

Submit To Your New Internet Overlord

There are a variety of ways to generate a password using href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/">Wolfram Alpha. First off, you can jump on the website and simply type in “password” or “generate a password” as your inquiry – easy as pie, right? After that, you’ll be given several randomly generated passwords with an option to change the amount of characters desired. This is fairly easy for basic passwords.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/17.png" alt="wolfram alpha password" width="580" height="330" />

Alternatively, you could also type in something like “9 character password” for your inquiry, and sure enough, Wolfram Alpha will go ahead and generate a password with the requested amount of characters. Granted, there isn’t as much flexibility with this first option as it seems fairly locked onto the amount of characters that you initially request, but at least it’s functional, right?

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/24.png" alt="wolfram alpha" width="580" height="250" />

These first two options are filed under Wolfram Alpha’s “typical password rules”, and they are fairly useful for your typical run-of-the-mill password-protected websites. However, occasionally you’ll run across a service or site run by companies that want very specific types of passwords that require a certain amount of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and numbers (like href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/apple">Apple, for instance). That’s fine and all, but you can realize how frustrating that can sometimes be!

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/34.png" alt="wolfram alpha" width="580" height="330" />

Fortunately, Wolfram Alpha knows your pain (and as intelligent as it is, I think that you can take that statement literally). After receiving your results for your password request, you may notice a statement on the page that says “Assuming typical password rules”. Right next to it is another statement that says “Use specific password rules instead”. Click it, and you’ll be treated to an entire menu that allows you to generate passwords that will fall in line with whatever service or website that you happen to be using.

Understand Your Sacrifices

You have to understand that Wolfram Alpha’s website password generation tool is truly random. No longer are you using the family pet’s name for your password, and it definitely won’t be as easy as leaving your router’s account information as “admin” and “password”. It’s great that you will have that added layer of protection, but at the same time, it’s going to be a little hard to remember.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/45.png" alt="wolfram alpha password" width="580" height="237" />

One tool that Wolfram Alpha provides is the phonetic form of each password that it generates. For instance, a password that it is “btZ7GWEK” would be be “bravo tango zulu seven golf whiskey echo kilo”. That’s all good and well, but at the same time it would be very hard for me to remember. Furthermore, some of them are even capital letters, and that is tough to recall.

What I suggest in this case is to either work very hard at remembering the phonetic alphabet or come up with your own memory device for each character. That’s the trouble with randomly generated passwords. Normally, when we create our own passwords, we use verbal elements that would be easy for us to remember because they matter to us in real life. However, that’s not the case with Wolfram Alpha.

The benefit of Wolfram Alpha is the fact that it generates very secure passwords. Unfortunately, the sacrifice is that you may have trouble remembering them. Write it down if you need to, but make sure you keep it safe.

Conclusion

So there you have it! You can now use href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/">Wolfram Alpha to come up with passwords that add an extra layer of security to your href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook"> Facebook, your href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/twitter">Twitter, or even your href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/google-plus">Google accounts. Try it out, and let us know if it was easy enough to work with.

What other methods do you use to come up with passwords? Have you ever used Wolfram Alpha for password generation before reading this article? Has it been useful?



View full post on MakeUseOf

Posted in Useful APPsComments (0)

4 Open Source Password Managers To Keep Your Passwords Safe


class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/intro1.png?54167" alt="password manager"/>

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-keepass-to-secure-your-online-accounts/">KeePass/ href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/keepassx-secure-password-management-linux-os/">KeePassX is a popular open source project that has won the hearts of thousands, with a myriad of href="http://lifehacker.com/5046988/eight-best-keepass-plug+ins-to-master-your-passwords">plugins and href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search?hl=en-US&q=keepass">extensions such as href="http://keefox.org/">KeeFox and href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search?hl=en-US&q=keepass">ChromelPass, that dramatically improve the user experience. However, KeePass isn’t the only open source password manager out there. If you’re looking for a simpler but still secure application where you can store your login credentials and important notes, why note check out additional open source programs?

Even if you’re accustomed to your beloved and convenient commercial password manager, it’s probably not a bad idea to try other ultra secure applications that offer some of the same features and risk less at your expense. If you’re ready for some password manager goodness, read on!

href="http://www.clipperz.com/">Clipperz [ href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-of-both-worlds-online-passwords-offline/">Web-based]

Clipperz is a web-based password manager, not unlike LastPass, with a major difference in that it’s open source. Jim reviewed it href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-of-both-worlds-online-passwords-offline/">here a couple of years ago so be sure to check his review for more details.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/clipperz_compact_tabs.png?54167" alt="password manager" width="484" height="308" />

Pros:

  • Support for direct one-click logins (made with a special bookmarklet) so users can login automatically from the Clipperz website.
  • Provides an encrypted HTML copy for offline read-only use.
  • Login history is recorded.
  • Registration requires no email (just a username and passphrase) so users can maintain anonymity.
  • Works on any OS with a major browser (like Firefox or Opera) that has Javascript enabled.
  • href="http://www.clipperz.com/support/user_guide/clipperz_compact">Compact site for Firefox sidebar and Opera panel with access to direct one-click logins.
  • Clipperz can also store notes with sensitive content.
  • Password generator available.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_104715.png?54167" border="0" alt="password manager reviews" width="490" height="285" />

  • Users can import data from a number of password managers.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_102719.png?54167" alt="password manager reviews" width="442" height="562" />

Cons:

  • Saving direct logins involves manually copy-pasting code onto Clipperz website,
  • Direct login codes don’t seem to work for all sites. In my tests, Imageshack and Springpad couldn’t create direct logins from the bookmarklet, but users can always create new “web passwords” or cards and specify the website URL manually.
  • No support for passphrase recovery since emails aren’t required.
  • Cannot organize accounts in groups.

href="http://www.yadabyte.com/Yadabyte_Portables.php">Yadabyte Passwords [Windows]

Yadabyte Passwords is like a tiny Keepass manager, except it carries fewer bells and whistles. Though it’s a bit older, this portable password manager is absolutely a breeze to use. You simply create a master password and then type the usernames, passwords, and URLs for all the services you want included in your password database.

Pros:

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_112637.png?54167" alt="password manager reviews" width="249" height="327" />

  • Portable
  • Easy to use
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_112855.png?54167" border="0" alt="free password manager" width="249" height="327" />

Cons:

  • Might be too simple for some users as it doesn’t have lots of features.
  • Cannot organize accounts in groups.

href="https://github.com/zdia/gorilla/wiki/">Password Gorilla [Cross-Platform]

Password Gorilla is a password manager and personal vault that can store login information and notes. The application consists of a single executable that allows you to create a database and save it to a specified location. The encrypted database can only be read in Password Gorilla of course, but the database is actually a different file, separate from the application, so you can create several databases if you wish.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_115859.png?54167" alt="free password manager" width="400" height="257" />

Pros:

  • Portable
  • Can create groups and subgroups to organize passwords and sites.
  • Can import password databases saved in CSV format.
  • Automatically locks the database after a defined amount of minutes.
  • Can clear the clipboard after specified number of seconds.
  • Users can set what double-clicking a login does: open a browser directed to the URL, copy password to clipboard, edit login or do nothing.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_120349.png?54167" alt="free password manager" width="529" height="341" />

  • Can copy username and password to the clipboard with keyboard shortcuts.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_120037.png?54167" width="408" height="267" /> /> Cons:

  • Exported files are unencrypted plain text files.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_120911.png?54167" width="492" height="199" />

href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/upm/">Universal Password Manager [Cross-Platform; Android]

Universal Password Manager is a simple program that uses 128bit AES encryption and, like Password Gorilla, allows you to create databases once you’ve set a master password.

Pros:

  • Databases can be exported and imported.
  • Android app available.
  • Can load and sync remote databases from URL.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_130616.png?54167" width="500" height="304" />

  • Can copy username and password to clipboard with keyboard shortcuts.
  • class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-06-26_125814.png?54167" alt="password manager" width="500" height="304" />

Cons:

  • Cannot organize accounts in groups though they are alphabetized. A workaround could be to create several databases.

From this list, I prefer Password Gorilla as it has robust features. There are, however, dozens of additional open source programs we couldn’t possibly cover, so if you’re eager to learn more, be sure to check out href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/manage-and-protect-your-personal-data-with-lockcrypt/">LockCrypt, href="http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/">Password Safe, href="http://www.petroules.com/products/silverlock">SilverLock, href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/opensimsim/files/">OpenSimSim and href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/oubliette/">Oubliette.

Do you use an open source password manager and have tips to share? Enlighten us  in the comments!

Image Credit: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=77476477">Shutterstock – Mario7 />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-open-source-password-managers-passwords-safe/">4 Open Source Password Managers To Keep Your Passwords Safe is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/open-source/" title="open source" rel="tag">open source, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/password/" title="password" rel="tag">password, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/password-manager/" title="password manager" rel="tag">password manager, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/security/" title="security" rel="tag">security />

Similar articles:

class="st-related-posts">
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-keepass-to-secure-your-online-accounts/" title="Using Keepass to Secure Your Online Accounts (March 6, 2008)">Using Keepass to Secure Your Online Accounts (22 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stay-safe-online-with-sticky-password-giveaway/" title="Stay Safe Online With Sticky Password [Giveaway] (June 27, 2011)">Stay Safe Online With Sticky Password [Giveaway] (11 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/easily-securely-manage-your-passwords-online-with-mitto/" title="Securely Manage Your Passwords Online With Mitto (January 6, 2010)">Securely Manage Your Passwords Online With Mitto (18 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/roboform-desktop-passwords-safe-secure/" title="RoboForm Desktop – Keep Your Passwords Safe & Secure (June 24, 2011)">RoboForm Desktop – Keep Your Passwords Safe & Secure (1 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/password-manager-battle-royale-top/" title="Password Manager Battle Royale: Who Will End Up On Top? (February 7, 2011)">Password Manager Battle Royale: Who Will End Up On Top? (179 comments …)


  • View full post on MakeUseOf

    Posted in Useful APPsComments (0)

    Password Safe 3.26


    Password Safe allows you to manage your old passwords and to easily and quickly generate, store, organize, retrieve, and use complex new passwords, using password policies that you control. Once stored, your user names and passwords are just a few clicks away.

    View full post on FileHippo.com

    Posted in DownloadsComments (0)

    Stay Safe Online With Sticky Password [Giveaway]


    class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/stickygiveaway.png" />Do you keep your passwords just “lying around” or do you consciously manage them with a password management tool? If you answer in the affirmative to both the questions, it’s time to take a look at Sticky Password. Sticky Password stores and protects all your personal data (e.g. passwords, user names, contacts, phone numbers, etc.). It connects passwords and accounts to the respective applications and websites. Thanks to Sticky Password, all your passwords are stored together in a secure and encrypted location and you no longer need to rely on your memory.

    Sticky Password is a handy anti-theft device, but how exactly does it give you the cushion of security? Let’s walk through the software.

    Open Sesame with a Master Password

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/sticky-password01.jpg" alt="" width="527" height="430" />

    href="http://www.stickypassword.com/">Sticky Password Pro is a 7.8 MB download. The installation takes you through four steps starting with the setup of a master password. This is the only password which you have to remember. A Virtual Keyboard also allows passwords to be entered without pressing keys on the keyboard. The next three steps ask you to setup an authorization method (how you will unlock and access the database); a locking timeout (the auto-lock after x minutes of inactivity); and select the browser extensions that you would like to install.

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/sticky-password02.jpg" alt="" width="527" height="430" />

    The authorization method deserves a special mention because it allows you to be flexible and gives the option of using a Bluetooth device or a USB drive to decrypt and unlock the password database. All these options make for a strong first line of defense.

    Store Your Personal Data Securely

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/sticky-password03.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="541" />

    Sticky Password is not only about storing your usernames and passwords, but the software also manages personal details like addresses and contact numbers as Identities. Also, Secure Memos can be filled up with extra information like passport data, various licenses, or the details of your software licenses and Internet settings, and more. It moves beyond a password management app into the realms of information management.

    Putting Sticky Password to the Test

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/sticky-password04.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="555" />

    From the system tray, Sticky Password automatically recognizes when an application or a website is launched. If an account is found, the login data is entered and you are logged in automatically. If there is no account in the database, Sticky Password automatically hints at adding an account to the database. You can also use the Sticky Pointer to quickly select an application / website and enter personal data. Sticky Password allows multiple user names-password combos to be saved for one account. It allows for unlimited accounts and you can conveniently group them too.Quiet handy for all your Google accounts.

    The auto-fill features of the software also includes other identity details like full name, sex, country, town/city, phone number, email address, etc. You can set up different identity profiles for your online shopping.That’s a real timesaver!

    Noteworthy Extras

    With a single click you can create a portable version of the app to carry along in your portable device. If you are a flummoxed, Sticky Password helps to create super-strong passwords with an included password generator.

    class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/sticky-password05.jpg" alt="" width="580" height="520" />

    To round it all off, Sticky Password has password import, secure encrypted export and backup functions to give you complete peace of mind. Is there anything else you can ask from a foolproof password management software? Stay safe.

    We’ve got 25 copies of Sticky Password Pro to give away this week and here’s what you need to know to win one.

    How do I win a copy?

    It’s simple, just follow the instructions.

    Step 1: Fill in the giveaway form

    Please fill in the form with your real name and email address so that we can get in touch if you are chosen as a winner. href="https://muo.wufoo.com/forms/z7w2z3/" onclick="window.open(this.href, null, 'height=443, width=680, toolbar=0, location=0, status=1, scrollbars=1, resizable=1'); return false" title="Sticky Password Pro">Click here if you can’t view the form.

    The giveaway code required to activate the form is available from Friday’s newsletter or on href="http://muo.fm/fbgvcd">our Facebook page.

    Step 2: Share!

    You’re almost done. Now, all that’s left to do is to share the post. There are 2 options to choose from or you can do both!

    border="0" cellspacing="20">
    width="240" align="middle" valign="top">

    Like it on Facebook align="center"> src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.makeuseof.com%2Ftag%2Fstay-safe-online-with-sticky-password-giveaway%2F&layout=box_count&show_faces=true&width=60&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=65" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:60px; height:65px;" allowTransparency="true">

    width="240" align="middle" valign="top">

    Or share it on Twitter

    align="center"> href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-text="I've just entered @makeuseof's giveaway to win a FREE copy of Sticky Password, the best password manager for Windows! Come join!" data-count="vertical">Tweet

    This giveaway begins now and ends Friday, March 25th at 2100hrs PDT. The winners will be selected at random and informed via email.

    Spread the word to your friends and have fun!

    MakeUseOf would like to thank href="http://iosafe.com/">ioSafe for their generosity while participating in this giveaway. Interesting in sponsoring? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via href="mailto:jackson@makeuseof.com?subject=Giveaways">email.

    How do I win a copy?

    It’s simple, just follow the instructions.

    Step 1: Fill in the giveaway form

    Please fill in the form with your real name and email address so that we can get in touch if you are chosen as a winner. href="https://muo.wufoo.com/forms/z7w2z3/" onclick="window.open(this.href, null, 'height=443, width=680, toolbar=0, location=0, status=1, scrollbars=1, resizable=1'); return false" title="Sticky Password Pro">Click here if you can’t view the form.

    The giveaway code required to activate the form is available from Friday’s newsletter or on href="http://muo.fm/fbgvcd">our Facebook page.

    Step 2: Share!

    You’re almost done. Now, all that’s left to do is to share the post. There are 2 options to choose from or you can do both!

    border="0" cellspacing="20">
    width="240" align="middle" valign="top">

    Like it on Facebook align="center"> src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.makeuseof.com%2Ftag%2Fstay-safe-online-with-sticky-password-giveaway%2F&layout=box_count&show_faces=true&width=60&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=65" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:60px; height:65px;" allowTransparency="true">

    width="240" align="middle" valign="top">

    Or share it on Twitter

    align="center"> href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-text="I've just entered @makeuseof's giveaway to win a FREE copy of Sticky Password Pro! Come join!" data-count="vertical">Tweet

    This giveaway begins now and ends Friday, July 1st at 2100hrs PDT. The winners will be selected at random and informed via email.

    Spread the word to your friends and have fun!

    MakeUseOf would like to thank href="http://www.stickypassword.com/">Sticky Password Pro for their generosity while participating in this giveaway. Interesting in sponsoring? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via href="mailto:jackson@makeuseof.com?subject=Giveaways">email. />
    /> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

    />

    href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stay-safe-online-with-sticky-password-giveaway/">Stay Safe Online With Sticky Password [Giveaway] is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

    More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/forms/" title="forms" rel="tag">forms, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/password/" title="password" rel="tag">password, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/password-manager/" title="password manager" rel="tag">password manager, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/privacy/" title="privacy" rel="tag">privacy, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/protection/" title="protection" rel="tag">protection, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/security/" title="security" rel="tag">security />

    Similar articles:

    class="st-related-posts">
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/easily-securely-manage-your-passwords-online-with-mitto/" title="Securely Manage Your Passwords Online With Mitto (January 6, 2010)">Securely Manage Your Passwords Online With Mitto (18 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/keepassx-secure-password-management-linux-os/" title="KeePassX – Secure Password Management For Linux & OS X (September 1, 2010)">KeePassX – Secure Password Management For Linux & OS X (16 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/store-confidential-details-phone-safewallet-makeuseof-giveaway/" title="Store Confidential Details on your Phone with SafeWallet [MakeUseOf Giveaway] (December 6, 2010)">Store Confidential Details on your Phone with SafeWallet [MakeUseOf Giveaway] (19 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/roboform-desktop-passwords-safe-secure/" title="RoboForm Desktop – Keep Your Passwords Safe & Secure (June 24, 2011)">RoboForm Desktop – Keep Your Passwords Safe & Secure (1 comments …)
  • href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/put-passwords-crack-test-password-strength-tools/" title="Put Your Passwords Through The Crack Test With These Five Password Strength Tools (April 8, 2011)">Put Your Passwords Through The Crack Test With These Five Password Strength Tools (3 comments …)


  • View full post on MakeUseOf

    Posted in Useful APPsComments (0)

    Put Your Passwords Through The Crack Test With These Five Password Strength Tools

    Posted on 09 April 2011. Tags: , , , , , , , ,


    password strength toolAll of us have read a fair share of ‘how do I crack a password’ questions. It’s safe to say that most of them are for nefarious purposes rather than an inquisitive one. Well, they are the script kiddies, so it makes me real scared of the tribe that goes by the collective names of – hackers, crackers, or black hats.

    Breaching passwords is as common a sport as wild hunting used to be once. So, do you stay on the secure side and put careful thought into your passwords? CXO has an interesting infographic on password strengths.

    Today, every well designed website and web app has a password strength indicator. These are basically scripts and plugins that follow basic rules of strong passwords. Then again, if you really like to pit your passwords against the black hats, try out these five password strength tools that tell you if your password is strong enough.

    How Secure Is My Password

    password strength tool

    There are very few really engaging password strength testing tools, and this is one of them. It does tell you the strength but also something beyond that. For instance, a regular word like “enter” is among the 500 most common passwords used. My own email password (I ain’t telling what it is) would take a desktop PC 2 billion years to crack. Though this feedback may not always correct, you are welcome to take a shot. (See Directory mention)

    The Password Meter

    password strength tester

    This password strength tester is one of the more popular tools out there. It gives you a detailed breakdown of your password and puts a password through their customized measuring scale. Each element of your password string gets a point and they are totaled up to assess the strength of the password. You can use the scoring system to construct very strong, nearly unbreakable passwords. (See Directory mention)

    Test Your Password

    password strength tester

    This is a dual purpose tool – it helps you to generate random passwords when you give it the parameters; and then you can test the password for its strength. You can put in additional characters of your choice. Use it to quickly see why eight character passwords are always advised over lesser numbered ones.

    Strength Test

    password strength tester

    This password web tool considers the probability of letters landing close to each other when rating passwords strong or weak. Ideally, passwords should be random. The meter shows this by using a term called ‘entropy’, an estimate based on letter pair combinations in the English language.

    Microsoft Safety And Security Center

    password strength tool

    Microsoft has its own little password checking tool tucked away on their site. More than the tool, the sub-site is an important resource for learning all about the rules of security. The password strength tool is pretty much similar to the others in its colored rating.

    These web apps and testing tools show that it takes just a few seconds to test your password strength and ensure security for a lifetime. Carefully thinking of a good password takes slightly more time. You can put more thought into it with the help of these two posts –

    How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget
    How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily

    Do you put the right characters into your passwords? Review your passwords and let us know if you go to great lengths with them.

    Image Credit: Shutterstock


    Hey Facebookers, make sure to join MakeUseOf on Facebook and get access to some exclusve stuff. Over 70,000 fans already!


     

     

    More articles about: , , , , ,



    View full post on MakeUseOf

    Posted in Useful APPsComments (2)

    Password Safe 3.25

    Posted on 20 March 2011. Tags: , ,


    Password Safe allows you to manage your old passwords and to easily and quickly generate, store, organize, retrieve, and use complex new passwords, using password policies that you control. Once stored, your user names and passwords are just a few clicks away.

    View full post on FileHippo.com

    Posted in DownloadsComments (0)

    Password Safe 3.23

    Posted on 27 July 2010. Tags: , ,


    Password Safe allows you to manage your old passwords and to easily and quickly generate, store, organize, retrieve, and use complex new passwords, using password policies that you control. Once stored, your user names and passwords are just a few clicks away.

    View full post on FileHippo.com

    Posted in DownloadsComments (0)

    How To Change Password Of Users In Windows XP In 5 minutes

    Posted on 25 July 2010. Tags: , , , ,


    My friend asked about how to change the passwords of users in Windows XP. I just researched and found out some ways to change the password of users in Windows XP. I’m explaining every way one by one. If you know any other interesting way, please let me know through comments.

    Using Ctrl Alt Delete

    This is the easiest one in my opinion. If your press Ctrl Alt Del when you are logged onto your Windows XP machine, it will show you the classic security options.

    Select change password and change the password of the logged on user.

    Note: If the security options does not appear. Task manager shows up instead of the security options. Just go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts –> Change the way Users Log on or off.

    Uncheck Use the Welcome Screen. Log off and logon again. Now pressing Ctrl Alt Del will show the security options window.

    Using Control Panel

    To change your password using Control Panel, go to Start –> Control Panel –> User Accounts

    Tip: You can also open control panel by Start –> Run –> control. This will open Control Panel.

    Select the user for which you want to change the password and select Change my password.

    Please note that you may need appropriate privileges to change the password of another user.

    Using Command Prompt

    To change the password of a user from the command prompt, go to Run –> cmd.

    Command prompt will open. Use the following commands to change the password:

    net user username password /domain

    Replace username with the original username and password with the new password you want to assign to that user. /domain is optional. If you are in a domain environment, specify the domain name otherwise, if you’re using a local user, leave /domain. If I want to change the password of user Sanix to 12345. I will issue the following command at command prompt:

    net user Sanix 12345

    It will change the password of the user Sanix to 12345. Please note that if you’re not logged on as an administrator, you will get the following error:

    “System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied”

    If you want to have full usage of the net user command, go to the following  Microsoft Article.

    Using Control userpasswords2

    To use this classic user management, go to Start –> Run –> control userpasswords2

    This will open the classic user accounts management window. Select any user and select reset password.

    Using Computer Management Console

    To use the computer management console to change the passwords of the users, right click My Computer –> Manage –> Local Users And Groups –> Users

    Right click the username for which you want to change the password and select Reset Password.

    If you have any other method of changing the password, please let me know through comments. Thanks.

     

    Using password tool

    Windows Password Key 8.0    is considered as the best tool to reset local administrator and user passwords on any Windows system. It creates a password recovery CD/DVD, USB Flash Drive for home, business and enterprise with an extremely competitive price. And most of all, it’s the most popular and safe solution for removing your Windows password until now. No need to call a technician, no need to re-install anything, and you certainly don’t need to reformat. It works on all and any Windows versions and computers any age.

     

     

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    How To Change Administrator And User Password In Windows Xp

    Posted on 23 July 2010. Tags: , , , ,


    Note: This information applies only to the password for logging in to the Windows XP operating system. If you have forgotten your password for logging in to a computer running the Windows XP operating system, there are a few different options: If you created a password reset disk for windows XP, you can use that disk to reset the password on your acount. For more information on how to create and use password reset disks go to the the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

    If you want to know another utility way to reset the password of any user that has a valid local account on your XP system, by modifying the crypted password in the registrys SAM file. You do not need to know the old password to set a new one.

    Windows password key 8.0.

    http://www.lostwindowspassword.com

     

    It works excellent, that is, easy to solved your problem just take you 5 minutes. It also creates a password recovery CD/DVD,USB Flash Drive for home, business and enterprise.

    Download here:

    http://www.lostwindowspassword.com/downloads/Windows_Password_Key_Demo.exe

    Today I also want to talk “Administrator Account Not Used for Logon

    The administrator account and password created during setup are used to log on in safe mode only. To create a password for user accounts, double-click manage users in control panel.

     Therefore, if you are propted for the user name and password (or if you are prompted only for the password) when you use the net use command(but not because you used an asterisk[*] in the net use command for password prompting) and the /savecred switch, the credentials are saved.

     (1) When you type the net use * \\ computer_name \ share_name /savecred command, the user is prompted for a user name, and then the user is prompted for a password.

     (2) When you type the net use * \\ computer_name \ share_name /u: domain_name \ user_name /savecred command, the user is prompted for a password.

    (3) However, when you type one of the following commands, a key is not created:

    net use * \\ computer_name \ share_name * /user: domain_name \ user_name /savecred

    -or-

    net use * \\ computer_name \ share_name * /savecred /user: domain_name \ user_name

     If you type net help use at a command prompt, more information is displayed about the net use command.

    Hope these can help you.

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    How To Repair An Administrator Password In The Windows Xp

    Posted on 21 July 2010. Tags: , , ,


     

    Removing an administrator password in Windows XP is as simple as going to the “Control Panel” and pulling up user accounts for these options. Find out how to use emergency recovery disks online to combat an unknown administrator password with help from this article on repair administrator passwords in Windows XP.

     step1. Insert your Windows XP CD into your CD drive and boot your computer. If you receive the message “press any key to boot from CD,” press any key.

     Step 2 Press Enter to setup Windows. After accepting the license agreement, you wil be asked if you want start a Repair process.

     Step 3 Press R to begin the Repair process. Setup will now check your disks and then start copying files, which can take several minutes. After this, reboot. Let the computer boot normally (do not press a key to boot from CD).

     Step 4 Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen. When you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. This will open a command line console.

     Step 5 Type NUSRMGR.CPL at the prompt and press Enter. This will give you access to User Accounts. Remove or change your password. Write it down! After the repair is finished, you will be able to log on with your new password.

     My favorite ways to repair a windows password is to use Windows password key 8.0. it runs directly for your system and are specially designed for repairing windows passwords. You can read to learn how to use it.

      

    Here: http://www.lostwindowspassword.com

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    How To Solved The Problem Of “i Forgot My Windows Xp Password?”

    Posted on 19 July 2010. Tags: , , , ,


    So you forgot your Windows XP password?

    Someday I have got a call from a friend who had managed to forgot his administrator password to his Windows XP computer. I told him don’t worry, it is almost impossible to access the computer as it happens to the best of us.

    This method is easy enough for newbies to follow- it doesn’t require using any complicated commands. And it just call you a little money- I mention that because you may find some free one, but in fact all these software are not security or no use at all.

     

    Windows Password Key 8.0

    http://www.lostwindowspassword.com

    This site provides a tool to recover lost Windows XP passwords. It works for administrator and user accounts. It works with encrypted files and password hashes. It even works if no passwords at all are known for the machine (as long as you have another computer with internet access to view this website with). Author claims it also works with Windows NT and Windows Server 2003 and Windows Longhorn, but the BEST thing about it is the fact that it can reset your passwords, but simply reveal them for you to remember and then use. Give it a try. The author would like to receive feedback. The fee for the service is very cheap, and is really just to cover server costs.

     

    if you can’t find it helpful. Here is another simple way to access Windows XP with Administrator rights and privileges if you have password protected your User account on your Windows XP system and can’t remember the password(s) to login. Whenever Windows XP is installed on a system, it creates a default account called “Administrator” and by default this account is not password protected. Therefore, if you bought a brand name computer (such as Dell, HP, Compaq or Sony)or you have installed Windows XP yourself. You should be able to login to the computer through the unprotected Administrator account.

    1.Reboot your machine.

    2.Press F8 before the Windows boot screen appears. DO NOT press F5 as used on the NT/9X ser of Windows. You will be prompted with a boot options menu.

    3.Select the Syart Windows in safe mode option.

    4.Click through several self-explanatory screens until your reach the familiar ‘Welcome’ screen.

    5.Find the icon for the Administrator user. If the default settings of your system haven’t been changed, there should be no password for this account.

    6.The Safe Mode Welcome screen might display some of the other users on your system.

    7.Login as the admin.

    8.Press Yes at the prompt asking if you would like to continue using Safe Mode.

    9.9Continue on to the User Settings control panel. Here you can change any of the other passwords for user on the machine. Make any changes you want.

    10.Reboot your computer. As long as you don’t press any keys (i.e. F8) during the boot-up the computer will startup normally.

    11.Login as the user for which you set the password.

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    Tutorial to Create a Windows XP Password Reset Disk

    Posted on 19 July 2010. Tags: , , , , ,


    Tutorial to Create a Windows XP Password Reset Disk

    Creating a Windows XP password reset disk is a great way to protect yourself from the possibility of forgetting your account password. With it, you can easily reset Windows XP password and get right in to Windows XP.

    It’s true that there are ways to recover lost Windows passwords without a password reset disk but they are often complicated and time consuming.

    Be proactive by creating a password reset disk right now. With a password reset disk, you don’t ever have to worry about forgetting your password again.

    Follow these easy steps to create a password reset disk for your Windows XP account:

    Click on Start and then Control Panel.

    Click on the User Accounts link.

    Note: If you’re viewing the Classic View of Control Panel, double-click on the User Accounts icon.

    In the pick an account to change area of the User Accounts window, click on your Windows XP user name.

    In the Related Tasks area on the left, click the Prevent a forgotten password link.

    When the Forgotten Password Wizard window appears, click Next

    Note: You will need a floppy disk drive and a blank floppy disk.

    On the next screen, verify that a blank floppy disk is inserted in your floppy disk drive.

    Click Next to continue.

    With the disk still in the drive, enter your current account password in the text box and click Next.

    Windows XP will now create the password reset disk.

    When the progress indicator shows 100% complete, click Next and then click Finish in the next window.

    You can now remove the floppy disk from your computer.

    Label the disk Password Reset and store it in a safe place.

    Tutorial to Create a Password Reset Disk in Windows 7 Tutorial to Create a Password Reset Disk in Windows Vista

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    I forgot my windows XP password – A tutorial

    Posted on 15 July 2010. Tags: , , ,


    Did you forget your windows XP password and cant log in now? Wanna know how to reset your windows XP password? Wanna Know how to bypass windows XP login? Read this tutorial to find out how…

    Windows XP is an awesome Operating system which is pretty secure when it comes to protecting personal info. But sometimes this security can be a hinderance. Especially if you’re forgetful like I am and forget your password. There is a very simple way to restore harmony in your life when you’ve forgotten your password.

    You can do this by making a simple recovery disk or a recover USB drive. Insert this into your comp during boot up and easily bypass your login window WITHOUT password. Here are the steps.

    What you need to do is make a recovery disk or USB drive for you PC.You can make this recovery disk on your friends PC or anywhere else.

    DOWNLOAD and install this software called pasword resetter from this site.This software will completely automate the process and let you take a back seat as everything is done.

    Start the software, Insert a blank cd or a USB drive. Follow the On screen instructions as the software makes a bootable drive with the required recovery program.

    Now start your PC for which you have forgotten the password. Insert this bootable recovery cd or USB drive AS SOON as you start your comp. As you go to the windows xp login screen you will see that the password will be reset and you will be allowed to log in and change your password!

    This is how you can reset your windows xp password and bypass your login screen. As you can see it is very simple and requires no technical knowledge.

    CLICK here for video tutorials on the same and download the software.

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    Hack/Reset Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 Administrator password

    Posted on 15 July 2010. Tags: , , , ,


    It becomes a tedious task when you want to login to any windows administrator and it is protected by Administrator password. So, you are blocked from making any changes to computer or installing any software. At such times, it is necessary to hack / reset Windows administrator password. So, I am writing a simple trick to hack/reset Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 administrator password to help you login to any computer protected by Windows administrator password.

    Hack/Reset Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 Administrator password:

    Windows Key is popular windows password recovery software used to reset windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 administrator password. Simply, boot the system using Windows Key bootable CD or flash drive and you’re able to reset windows administrator password.

    1. Free Download Windows Key software to reset windows administrator password.

    2. The downloaded folder contains image file. Burn it to disc using any image burner software say Nero.

    3. Now, when burning process is finished, you have bootable disc ready to hack/reset windows administrator password.

    4. Restart your computer and boot via CD/DVD just created. Windows Key will start loading its files and show its interface like this:

    5. Windows key will ask you to select the Operating system, account of which you wanna reset administrator password. You have to enter 1, 2 or such numbers corrresponding to your choice.

    6. Finally, Windows key will display message “Password has been reset”. Now, press any key and computer will be restarted and now, you will be able to login to administrator account without any password. So, Windows key has removed or reset windows administrator password helping you to loging without any password.

    Note: I have tested this on Windows XP, Vista and found this working perfect. The version I have provided doesn’t work on Windows 7. I will provide link for Windows 7 soon.

    Thats it friends. You will be thus able to hack windows XP, Vista or windows 7 administrator password using this windows password recovery software. If you have any problem in using this Windows key software to hack / reset windows XP, Vista or windows 7 administrator password or if you have any other useful software to reset windows administrator password, please let me know by mentioning it in comments.

    Enjoy n reset windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 administrator password…

    Posted in WindowsComments (0)

    Older Entries »

    Categories

    Recent Posts

    Blogroll