8.5 Using Keepass tool

The Keepass tool is already presented in this e book but it is wise to re-propose it here because of it's importance. A lot of people just underestimate the password keeping. The most common problem is to use the same password for any account. This is unacceptable specially if you are going to do business over the internet. Please from all the tools proposed at this chapter at least start using keepass or any other decent password keeper. Notice that we have created at least 8 accounts only in this e-book and the most probable case is that i forgot some accounts to count!

• Hosting Account
• Ftp password
• PayPal account
• SandBox PayPal account
• Virtual Seller Account
• Virtual Buyer Account
• Google account for analytics
• Yahoo account

Do not even think the solution of the text files if you are that old fashioned write them on a piece of paper... Some tips about the password generation.

• Make the passwords at least 12 characters long
• Make the passwords alphanumeric
• Make the passwords casual like : WWbvJk88F5GGxa
• Do not use the same password twice
• Do not make logical passwords
• Do not use your Birth date as password
• Do not use the classic passwords. Example : Every Italian woman has as password : 'stella' or 'farfalla'

As you can see, generating a password with all these restrictions is frustrating. Keepass can generate all the passwords for you, and it is advised to use this method for the password generation. Any password keeper needs a general password that unlocks the hole password list. The problem with the general password is that we have to make it complicated (at least 30 characters) but we must remember it at the same time under any condition. We have various options :

• Remember a phrase.
Example : OnlyholdfasttowhatyouhaveuntilIcome225
Phrase taken from the Bible (English Amplified Bible) , Revelation , Chapter 2 , Paragraph 25.
Source : www.biblegateway.com
• Construct a no sense phrase.
Example : bigelephant3bigelephant3bigelephant3
• The verse of your favorite song
Example : Thepleasureistoplayitmakesnodifferencewhatyousay2731
Source : Group : Motorhead, Album : No Remorse, Song : Ace of spades 27th to 31th second.

Keepass creates an encrypted file with all the passwords with extension kdb. Make sure to backup this file at your computer and at least at another place like a dedicated usb key (pen drive). A pen drive costs 5$ so use one dedicated for this scope.