Passwords courtesy of Technology

I read an interesting article recently about our need for security for all we do on the web and with technology. The writer suggested that our obsession with keeping passwords, changing them every 3, 6 or 0 months, has lead to a security breakdown. We now individually have so many passwords that our brains can no longer remember or administer them all. So what we resort to is writing them down on paper and keeping them in a place that anyone could find them.

Just at work I have 3 passwords in order to perform certain job functions. I have a password and I.D. just to turn on the PC on my desk. I have a password to access the company employee information website. Another ID to log into the accounting software in SAP. They want me to also have access to 2 other accounting programs so that will be 2 more IDs and 2 more passwords. And do you know where most employees keep all these logins? On a piece of paper in the top drawer of their desk. So I ask, what is the purpose of all this limited access when in reality the access is unlimited as long as you have access to anyone's top drawer?

Just a quick list of passwords...

• Home answering machine
• Voicemail at work
• Garage keypad
• cell phone voice mail
• SN bank cash card
• CF bank cash card
• Juno email
• Cox email
• This website
• Each online checking access at each of the 2 above banks
• Access to my 401k investments online
• Access to my Roth IRA online
• Access to my e-trading account online
• And many more I could list....