I have a tech tip for people who like me use their ISP's email address to subscribe to various things.
Everything was going fine for over a decade... then I decided to receive a new 42" LED TV I would change internet providers and sign up with this Telco service that promised if I signed up for a 3 year contract I'll get a free tv.
I jumped on board.
About 3 months later, I discovered I'd forgotten my password for my AppleID for my iPhone. For you it could be any service where the email you used to verify your identity is changed and is beyond recovery.
I tried to use the password reset service but my email in the service was my old ISP provider. I didn't remember my password security answers and I hadn't registered any other emails as alternates.
I could not upgrade my phone without this password. I even went so far as to call their support dept. They said they couldn't help me unless I could remember my security question answers.
I was at my wits end. If I had used gmail.com or some other service I would be golden. But here I was stuck.
I eventually called my ISP and they refused my request to forward email to me. The tech however asked me if I knew anyone who had an account with them. He suggested I contact them and get them to add my old ID as an email account then I could get them to forward my password reset to me.
I did this through my sister and got my iPhone back.
However this is the tip part....
1) Always use a 3rd party email service to receive your password resets. If you change providers these will stay the same.
2) Always answer the security questions by using a completely unrelated answer. "What was the name of your first grade teacher" Answer? "four". Go ahead hackers... research my history to find my first teacher. They'll never come up with "four"
3) Never play around with character case. FoUr vs four. You'll never remember which were captitalised and which weren't. You can answer with as many characters as you like... but always answer with the same text. So no matter, which of the questions you answered, they ask you. You will know the answer. [Note: this isn't entirely secure...but this isn't protecting your bank balance or something similar.]
I hope this saves one person's hairline. I'm sure mine is the worse for ware.
Dayna.
Comments
Or open a safe deposit box and save them there
I vote for writing the bloody things down.
And no I do not trust password 'managers'.
Another trick is to use obscure phrases from a book. Remember name of said book and keep it around and then just write down the location in the book somewhere, kinda like biblical passage references.
Hard copy
As a seasoned IT professional who should be retired (I spent all today rebuilding my firewall... several times) I do something that would likely shock most security professionals.
I have a card index with everything in it.
I'm not going to give chapter and verse, but every single website that asks me for a name and/or email address and password I write down on a 3x5 index card and file alphabetically. On a computer I do use Firefox's Save Password feature but that's all. If my system(s) go belly-up I still have the means to make contact with the outside word (once I can get to another computer!).
More importantly, if something should happen to me then others will be able to gain access too. The card index also contains information about all the systems (hosts, currently numbering 20!) and accounts I have locally, so that my sons will be able to do something with them once I have departed.
There is a small fire/flood risk but I can live with that. It is all hand-written and I have thought of printing them out to make them clearer and easier to maintain, but then I'd have to use a computer and that would defeat the object - isolation.
Penny
Edit 12/09: Oh, and I forgot to add: I run my own email server. Not in-house but co-lo from 1&1. Means I can read my email anywhere and I have total control over names, passwords, etc.
Good infomation
Penny, you could use a typewriter for your cards ! They are great, it works if the power fails. for security, all you need to do is lock away the ribbon. Copies are tough though, I don't think copy sheets are still made.
Karen 8-)