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My mom's old email password taught me something about my own habits
When I helped her reset her AOL account last week, she had the same 8-character password she's used since 2004, and it wasn't until I saw that pattern (first pet, birth year, exclamation point) that I realized I do the same thing with slightly different words. I've had 2 factor auth on everything for years, but if someone guessed my mom's pattern, they could probably guess mine too, so what's a trick you've used to break yourself out of predictable passwords without going full password manager?
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lane.drew21d ago
The whole "if someone guessed my mom's pattern" part is what got me, because the fix might be simpler than we think. Instead of fighting your own habits, just add a second layer that throws off the pattern entirely, like a random 4 digit pin tacked onto the end that has nothing to do with your life. That way the base stays memorable but the guessing game gets way harder, no manager needed.
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