[ale] OT: password gripe

Brandon Checketts brandon at brandonchecketts.com
Thu Dec 31 16:15:33 EST 2009


Steve Tynor wrote:
> 4.  Use a different password on every site, but construct them from an 
> algorithm based on the site name or url so you only have to remember the 
> algorithm.

I'd really like to do this, but haven't found a good browser plugin that does it 
right.  If toyed with some for Firefox, but they are far too complicated for 
everyday use.   Most of the problem is due to the stupid password requirements 
that started this thread. (ie: character limits, restricted characters, required 
character groups)

Ideally, I'd like a browser plugin that [1]knows the password requirements for a 
site.  I can then type in my 'regular' password into the password field and then 
hit a plugin-created 'hash' button that will transform it into a hash based on 
my regular password + the domain name.  That way I only have to remember my one 
  password that works on all sites, but no site knows my original password, or 
the password to anywhere else.

[1] In order to know the password requirements for each site, something similar 
to a robots.txt file would need to be created by the webmaster which contains 
the password requirements in some specific format.  Alternatively, it could 
query some user-generated database of password requirements.

I've considered developing such a plugin/service but I haven't had any chance to 
get around to it (and isn't in the foreseeable future)

Thanks,
Brandon Checketts



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