Password Woes

[Evil Queen]

Every three months (or so) the program we use at the hotel prompts the user to pick a new password.

Today was one of those days.

I had the wonderful idea of changing the password to the original one I had when I first started (to make things easy, ya know?) at the hotel (here on out called "Houston Hotel" to prevent confusion).

So I input the password and get the following error message;

"Password must be different from last four passwords."



Okay. Type in a new one.

"Password must have at least one (1) number."

..............

All right... type in a NEW one.

"Password must be longer then six (6) characters."



Last time... I swear!!!!

"Password cannot be similar to username."



Fine. FINE. I pick a password that would be freaking obvious if I was a lush or enjoyed tortuing people with my horrible singing skills (I'm tone deaf).

"Password Accepted."



Now if only I could remember what my new password was!

[TimmyHate]

Don't start me on this. Our IT policy states that a password must be over 8 characters, at least one lower case, one upper case and one number and cannot be the same as your last TWENTY FOUR (!!!!) times you changed it.

F*(%!

[Pedersen]

Oh, I do love password requirements like that. I've seen similar stupid requirements elsewhere. I understand why they're put in, but they defeat the purpose when people are forced to put them on sticky notes by their monitors just to remember them.

Or, you can have fun: Call up IT every day, telling them you need a password reset since you've forgotten it. Drive up the cost of the password requirements

[jedimaster91]

I have people trying to set up their e-mail accounts at <local community college> who have NO computer skills whatsoever and the dang security requirements make it harder than it really has to be. At least 8 characters, 1 captial and 1 special character.

[Broomjockey]

Or, you can have fun: Call up IT every day, telling them you need a password reset since you've forgotten it. Drive up the cost of the password requirements

Heehee. I love it. So nice.

[crazylegs]

Once every three months? You've got it easy girl!

Mainframe Access - 8 Char, 1x Number/special char (min), 1x Caps (min)
System 1 - 8 Char, 1xNumber (min)
System 2 - 8 Char, 1xNumber (must not be at front) (Min), 1x caps (min)
System 3 - 8 Char, 1x Number/special char (min), 1x Caps (min)
System 4 - 4xNumber ONLY
System 5 - 8 Char, 1x caps (min)

Each one of those has seperate expiry times for passwords, some as short as 6 weeks, some as long as 3 months.

This is in addition to various door/gate codes.

[jerkface11]

Good lord where do you work MI5?

[crazylegs]

Good lord where do you work MI5?

Nowhere near as exciting as that!

[Lachrymose]

If the system allows, I usually just create a "base" password and every month increment a number at the end.

E.g. customerssuck01
customerssuck02

I know that some systems only allow so many duplicate characters in the new password, but most I have worked with don't.

[Evil Queen]

If the system allows, I usually just create a "base" password and every month increment a number at the end.

E.g. customerssuck01
customerssuck02

I know that some systems only allow so many duplicate characters in the new password, but most I have worked with don't.

That doesn't work. otherwise "Peanutbutter1" would have worked. ("Peanutbutter2" didn't work, and so on. It was horrible.)

[JPD]

One thing I will do is, if it can't be simillar to an old one will just change each one over one, ex: Original password afx@146. New password bgy#257

[Lachrymose]

Another idea is to use a word that means something to you, but transcribe it into l33t.

Like p455w0rd .

[SG15Z]

Ugh our cash office system has something similar. Only it has to be changed like every 45 days I think. Can't be the same as the last 4, must be exactly 8 characters (that was a real ), and must contain 1 letter and 1 number. Thankfully I can do something like Kroger01, Kroger02, etc.


Now what gets me is all the operator numbers I have.

3 register #s (it use to be 4)
1 generic relief number for Fuel Center. Used by people who don't have their own number
1 for the back office (same as one of my register numbers but password is different...)
1 for Western Union
1 for Bill payments
1 for money order machine
1 for auto tags
My time clock number
My Enterprise ID which is used for HR purposes as well as logging into Kroger Web.



So of course I try to have as few passwords as I can. For the registers it's 3 to 4 numbers only, so all my register numbers have the password. The rest only the back office has that strict password setup so I use the same one for all the others that require letter and numbers. Bill Pay, and Money Order machines only require our OP#. Still it's a pain when I have to change my back office pass, then change my pass for everything else, so I don't get confused...

[Geek King]

Idea for password generation and a safe way to write it down and not be obvious about it:

1) Pick a piece of writting/poetry/fortune cookie you like.

2) Pick a sentence from the work.

3) Use the first letter from each word as your passcode. If numbers are required, use the number of words in the sentence.

4) Keep the passage where you will be sure to have it with you.

5) Keep a spare, different for password changes.


Works well for most places, and you don't leave an obvious password laying on your desk. If you have a pithy daily calender of sayings, you could just write down the date that applies.

[wagegoth]

I write mine down and keep it for a day or two, just to make sure I remember it. (I make up nonsense words with weird spellings.) Then the reminder gets tossed into the locked shred bin.