12 karma · joined March 16, 2017
The only non-unique keys I use, are also nonrandom, and used for accounts with no security consequences. Like this one.
But, I still contend it basically knocks down a straw man with bullshit. Yes, they correctly point out that if you're using a mnemonic method, a long passphrase is better than a short password. I'm pretty sure the PGP folks pointed that out at least a decade or two ago.
At the end of the day, if you're not using, recalling, and exercising a strong secret, you will forget it. That's how memory works. With Diceware you have three things to learn; your silly mnemonic, what it translates to, and how to type it quickly. True, you might (just might) forget the muscle memory of exactly how to type it before you forget the entire mnemonic, and then be able to recover the password from your memory of the mnemonic cues. That seems intuitive, at least, but misleadingly so.
But my years of experience has taught me that muscle memory is the most durable memory. There's nothing inherent in "correct horse battery" that's going to give you "staple" once you've forgotten it; it's gone. It was random, after all. If you're not exercising and remembering your secret, then you have to have a backup to fall upon--written down or stored somewhere? If your goal is muscle memory with minimum pain, fewer, maximally-random higher-entropy keystrokes is better.
I don't think most people sit down at their desk all day uninterrupted without leaving. I lock my terminal when I leave my keyboard and type a password to unlock when I return. I enter a password whenever I unlock an encrypted volume (e.g., to get other passwords).
You can use biometrics or tokens, but purely memorized passwords can have unique utility. In America, for instance, you generally can't be rubber-hosed to give up a memorized passphrase, and it's not generally a crime to do so. You can be compelled in a variety of settings to provide a physical token, including biometrics, or disclose their existence. There can be civil coercive techniques to pursuade you to give up a password, but at a bare minimum, in a criminal situation or where the 5th amendment applies under my current understanding you cannot be forced to give a password from memory.
Of course if you're the surveillance target of a nation-state then potentially they can do what they need to do to covertly intercept your passphrase through physical access, evil maid etc., but that's a different ballgame.
You know, Warren Buffet already has that business model and moats don't get a lot wider than Berkshire Hathaway. He also has his own predatory bank, insurance companies, real estate brokerage franchise, railroad, and container manufacturing.
Good luck.
Misinformation like, "Always use a reputable cloud password manager, like LastPass?" Along with a trusty antivirus, am I right?
To be further contrarian, if the common man is going to use a password manager, use Chrome's built-in auto-fill, without antivirus or other 3rd-party bolt-ons, be they LastPass, KeepPass, 1password etc. You know who Tavis works for, right? Chrome's application security is best of breed, and its password manager does what it's designed for, at least.
As I need to enter on a regular basis. In practice, no more than half a dozen. Usually I have 3 or 4 in use. Might be work, personal, and a couple for crypto.
> How long does it take you to learn a new/changed one?
Depending on the length, 5-10 minutes of continuous training to be confident if it's one I'm going to put into immediate use.
The point is to go straight to pure muscle memory without using a mnemonic crutch. Ultimately for a password that you're typing on a multiple-times daily basis, you're going to be relying on muscle memory anyway. If you're trying to remember what came after the correct horse battery, or if the correct came first or last, you've already lost. "limbdumaslaterjuramondo" gets me no closer to login if my password is "limbdumaslaterjuramondohalf" if I've forgotten nonsensical "half" than "+D%W}B_]7|~y" gets me to login if my password is "+D%W}B_]7|~yd" and I've forgotten "d".
You're going to be typing the password with your fingers, so learn the password by typing it with your fingers until it's automatic, not by conjuring a sequence of unconnected mental images. It actually saves time.
94^12 ~= 4.76e23 > 7776^6 ~= 2.21e23.
And typing 12 characters from muscle memory is faster than learning and typing "limbdumaslaterjuramondohalf", which is what diceware^6 just gave me.
The supposed mnemonic value of diceware is illusory. If it convinces people to use stronger passwords and it works for you, great.
There's no excuse for Amazon selling and profiting from counterfeits though. Buck stops with them.
Further, I've used variations of the same password for the past two decades for >90% of my accounts, e.g., the ones where my threat model is "do not give a fuck." When I sign up, I mentally consider whether I give a fuck the account is compromised. If I do, new random password for the list. If I don't, use the 20-year-old password.
I do security for a living. This technique is mocked by other so-called experts, but who's laughing today? I fully understand the security model I'm using. Lastpass users--and developers--clearly did not. Other password manager users should stifle the urge to laugh if they haven't fully reviewed their entire stack.