Random Strings
As a proponent of IT Governance, I should be happy that we (Teamstudio) have implemented an additional layer of security on our notebook computers. I should take comfort in knowing that the level of security is beyond what the average adult can crack by simply guessing a password. (Kids on the other hand …) And I should feel secure in knowing that if my notebook computer should get stolen, I won’t be giving away company secrets. But I’m not.
You see our new encryption software comes with a pre-assigned password. In making sure it is really secure, the password is a series of letters, numbers and symbols instead of something that I might actually be able to memorize. I guess it’s too much to ask to allow me to set my own password. I’d be happier setting my own password even if I had to follow some predefined guidelines, like minimum number of characters, special characters, or specific combination of letters and numbers. But now I’m going to have to fight the urge to keep the password on a piece of paper tucked away in my notebook case or even worse, taped on the computer.
Coincidentally, I was browsing through the results of a Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) survey sponsored by Enterprise Management Associates which pointed out a whole different kind of risk. In hind site, I shouldn’t be surprised, but one IT auditor report that, in one company of about 5,000 employees, 43% of existing access rights were either excessive or should have been retired. 43%! That’s 2,150 employees or former employees.
I sure hope we implemented Security Manager here!
Category IT Governance
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Comments
The human mind is amazing. You can memorize it and it's easier than you think.
Try this. Sit down at the computer with a word processor running and the password on a piece of paper in front of you. Now type start typing the password over and over. I bet that if you do this a hundred times you'll never forget it again.
Another memory trick is to find words that start with the letters in the password. Write the words in order like a sentence with any numbers and punctuation in the order they occur in the password. Try different words until you have a sentence that makes some kind of sense.
Or write it on a small piece of paper and tuck it into your wallet. If find that after a few times I don't have to pull it out. It gives me peace-of-mind in case I do blank on it but then I don't.
Peace,
Rob:-]
Posted by Rob At 05:26:50 PM On 04/07/2009 | - Website - |