Create Your Own Password Cipher

Many people don't have a good scheme for remembering their passwords. Some keep them stored in email, a document on their computer, or taped to their laptop or monitor. Storing them in email is only as secure as your email password, so what happens if someone cracks it? A document on your computer is better than being taped to your monitor, but a trojan or walking away from your computer and leaving it unlocked leaves it completely vulnerable.

So how the heck are you to remember all of your passwords? Use a secret code or cipher!

The Difference

A ciphertext is information that has been encrypted using an algorithm (called cipher) to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key.

Example: "can you crack this?" becomes "OMZ KAG ODMOW FTUE" by rotating the alphabet by 13 (ROT13)

A secret code is a coding system used for transmitting messages requiring brevity or secrecy.

Example: "10-4" is the same as "affirmative", "okay", or "understood"

Be weary of simple ciphers. Simple ciphers shouldn't have a place with your passwords. I would recommend using both a code and a cipher together to create something more secure.

Layers of Security

Some of the best security comes from using multiple forms of security together to create something even more secure. For instance, let's say you're a frugal person and a dog lover with a favorite number of 3. "FrugalDog3" could be coded to "SaveYorkieTres" and then ciphered to "$@v3Y0rk!3Tr35". What a progression!