
The real problem with writing your passwords down

You could also lose your notebook, allowing it to fall into the hands of a stranger, and thus giving them the virtual keys to all your online accounts. Someone in a cafe could theoretically look over your shoulder and memorize one of your passwords, for example. Well, consider this: What happens when you leave your home? If you carry a password notebook in public, there’s a slightly higher chance that its contents will be seen by a criminal. Or try to trick you into sharing your account details with a fake phishing email. If that doesn’t work, they might check if any of your passwords have leaked online as part of a data breach. They’ll try to sign in to your accounts with common passwords like Instead, most criminals will use a range of tactics that don’t require them to leave their computer. Why? Because such a heist is neither cheaper nor time effective.Īside: That’s why it’s okay to keep a copy of your 1Password Emergency Kit, which contains a copy of your account password and Secret Key, somewhere in your home! Escape and flee the crime scene without being spotted or caught by law enforcement.Travel to your home, or pay someone to travel on their behalf.It depends on where you keep the object (your notebook, whiteboard, etc.) that contains your passwords, and the likelihood that a criminal will stumble upon it.įor example, let’s say you have a dedicated password notebook that never leaves your home office. Grabbing a pen and writing down your passwords isn’t necessarily insecure. Is it really that bad if I write down my passwords? But that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to protect your accounts and stay safe online. The short answer to the first question is … yes, pen and paper can be a secure way to manage your passwords.

We hear two questions a lot: Is it safe to record your passwords in an analog format? And, what are the benefits of switching to a password manager? The latter could be a tiny notebook, a whiteboard on their office wall, or an array of sticky notes attached to their PC monitor. Many solve this problem by embracing a password manager like 1Password, while others turn to pen and paper. Very few people can memorize all of their passwords – especially if they’re using unique ones for each account.
