How often do you change important passwords?

Discussion in 'polls' started by progress, Jul 22, 2009.

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How often do you change important passwords?

  1. Daily

    1 vote(s)
    1.0%
  2. Once a week

    2 vote(s)
    2.0%
  3. Once a month

    5 vote(s)
    5.1%
  4. Once every 6 months

    14 vote(s)
    14.1%
  5. Once a year

    15 vote(s)
    15.2%
  6. More than a year

    8 vote(s)
    8.1%
  7. Never

    54 vote(s)
    54.5%
  1. progress

    progress Guest

    How often do you change important passwords? Important can be defined any way you like :)
     
  2. GrailVanGogh

    GrailVanGogh Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2007
    Posts:
    97
    Location:
    US
    Three to 6 months except for banking which I change out 1x per month.
     
  3. demonon

    demonon Guest

    I have so many passwords that I just create strong ones.
    I don't bother with changing them.
     
  4. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Posts:
    4,186
    Location:
    USA
    I create 10 character passwords of letters upper and lower case with a few numbers. How can you decide when its time to change a password. If someone starts trying to crack your password 5 minutes after you create it, then you should have changed it already. But if no one tries to crack it for 5 years, should you change it? :doubt:
     
  5. icr

    icr Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Posts:
    1,589
    Location:
    UK
    Never
    my passwords consist of both cases alphabets,symbols,numbers
    which requires years to crack
     
  6. InfinityAz

    InfinityAz Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2005
    Posts:
    828
    Location:
    Arizona
    Same as others have said, I create strong passwords (20 characters, upper & lower alpha and numbers), unique for each site, and don't need to change them.
     
  7. tipstir

    tipstir Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2008
    Posts:
    830
    Location:
    SFL, USA
    Clients Network Security changes them every 3 months. I am not going to do that here. Strong password is good enough. If you think someone drop in on to one of your boxes you can always unplug the network cable.
     
  8. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2008
    Posts:
    97,410
    Location:
    U.S.A.
  9. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2003
    Posts:
    163,035
    Location:
    Texas
    Some financial institutions require you change you password every ninety days. Not a bad idea. :)
     
  10. himynamaborat

    himynamaborat Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2009
    Posts:
    26
    I differentiate between passwords for encrypted data that requires physical access (e.g. TrueCrypt) and online passwords.

    The odds that someone could steal my TrueCrypt password AND gain physical access to be able to use them are somewhere between slim and zero (closer to zero). Even if my passwords to my on-site data were stolen (e.g. keylogger), that stolen information would likely be lost with the passage of time before it ever becomes a risk. People who steal data with keyloggers want an instant and easy payoff (e.g. online banking, credit cards, etc.).

    As far as online passwords, I'm less inclined to care about that than my local computer passwords. In all cases I use strong passwords that can't be guessed. So, the only way to get them is to steal them. If someone steals my bank account passwords, paypal password, etc., I'm likely to just shrug, call my bank to dispute the charges, and move on. The fact is, you would have to change your password between the time it's stolen and someone decides to use it. My guess is that would be a narrow window.

    So, the answer is never for both cases.
     
  11. chrisretusn

    chrisretusn Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2004
    Posts:
    1,668
    Location:
    Philippines
    In most cases I do not change my passwords. For important sites I use the max length allowed up to 20 characters. Less important sites normally 8 character passwords. For some sights I've used the same password for over 9 years.

    If there was an option for as required, I would have picked that. Several services I use require frequent password changes.
     
  12. suliman

    suliman Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Posts:
    53
    I use Lastpass and generate 20 character long passwords with random characters so I dont have to remember them :) once a year maybe, if I feel for it for some sites, I change them. Maybe I should do it more often since it is so easy when I dont have to remember them.
     
  13. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    As Ronjor said, a few of mine require a 90 day change.
    So I just change them all every 90 days.
    Strong passwords with mixed case, numbers, and special characters (when allowed by site).
     
  14. progress

    progress Guest

    Do you change your password every ninety days as well? :)
     
  15. c2d

    c2d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2007
    Posts:
    572
    Location:
    Bosnia
    I create 15 character long passwords and change them every 2 months.
     
  16. Get

    Get Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2009
    Posts:
    384
    Location:
    the Netherlands
    Only when I forget them o_O .
     
  17. Fajo

    Fajo Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    Posts:
    1,814
    I only change passwords when needed. One of my current password is 36 Letters, Numbers, Special char's, tho Not many programs or sites allow them to be this long. I have passwords for things that mean nothing and 3 different passwords for things that do. The strength of the password depends on what its being used for.
     
  18. wat0114

    wat0114 Guest

    Only @ work every three months because we're forced to, otherwise never. Mine are typically 8-10 characters, mixture of lower & upper case, at least one number, no words found in the dictionary. Good enough for me, as I'm not the government or CIS.
     
  19. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2009
    Posts:
    6,491
    Like once a year, anyways i only have like 2 important passwords so it's easy :D
     
  20. Dogbiscuit

    Dogbiscuit Guest

    There is something ironic in individuals telling the entire world how often they change their important passwords, on a site dedicated to computer security.
     
  21. I no more

    I no more Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2009
    Posts:
    358
    You think that's strange. Here's the password I use for all my financial institutions:

    89eJ8RQI00a8sjrhue

    Now, the reason I feel this is safe, even though I never change my passwords, is because you people don't know who I am. And you don't know which financial institutions I use. Good luck using it.
     
  22. guest

    guest Guest

    I only use very secure passwords and I change all of them once a month.
     
  23. progress

    progress Guest

    One person voted daily :eek: I would go nuts ... :D
     
  24. Page42

    Page42 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2007
    Posts:
    6,941
    Location:
    USA
    I voted once every six months but it's more like once a year, because I think they are pretty secure. :)
     
  25. manOFpeace

    manOFpeace Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2003
    Posts:
    717
    Location:
    Ireland
    Never for me. With the exception of a few but only for other causes other than security reasons. :isay:
     
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