[Lynn R Grant: Password Aging]

[Dennis Paul Roth]

>From article <6 at minya.UUCP>, by jc at minya.UUCP (John Chambers):
> to change their password.  After a while, we all find that we
> have a whole lot of different passwords, and there's only one
> way that a mere human can possibly remember them: write them
> down on paper along with the hostnames.  I have a list in the
> little pocket calendar that lives in my shirt pocket...
> 
> Nuf said?
> 
> -- 
> John Chambers <{adelie,ima,maynard,mit-eddie}!minya!{jc,root}> (617/484-6393)
  
Ok, so you keep your passwords in your pocket, along with with your
house, car, and office keys. Is the security of your house, car, and office
compromised because you carry your keys in your pocket? That's all a password
is, a key to your computer account. It is not the end all and be all of
computer security. I think some of this discussion of password security in
this newsgroup is going too far. People are trying to load too much of the
overall security of computer systems on the password mechanism. Its just
a lock and key. I've seen very, very secure computer systems with no 
passwords at all. If you need a lot of security, there are better methods
than passwords. If you lose your slip of paper with your password on it
you can change your password a lot easier than changing all the locks on your
house if you lose your set of house keys.
-- 
Dennis Roth     ...grebyn!macom1!roth          Centel Federal Systems
                     roth at macom1.UUCP          11400 Commerce Park Drive
                                               Reston, VA 22091-1506
  A posting a day keeps the boredom away.          703-758-7000