Passwords can be difficult to remember, but personal references, mnemonic devices, and word associations can help. Using numbers or letters with personal meaning and creating associations between the password and personal information can aid in recall. Recognizable patterns and muscle memory can also assist in remembering passwords.
Most of us have probably experienced times when the only thing standing between us and an important transaction was our failure to remember a password. Computers, ATMs, point-of-sale card readers, and dozens of other electronic devices all depend on alphanumeric passwords for added security. The problem is, remembering which ones belong to which devices can be extremely frustrating. However, there are several ways to remember passwords, including mnemonic devices, personal references, and word associations.
One method many people use to remember passwords is personal references. Whenever someone has the ability to create their own password, it’s often easier to select numbers or letters with personal meaning. For example, four-digit codes could be a street address or a previous phone number. Using current personal information in codes is usually discouraged by security experts, but people rarely forget numbers from their past. If the password is supposed to be numeric, then you should mentally associate it with your personal history.
The same goes for alphabetic passwords. The words used should have a personal meaning, such as the name of a beloved pet or a favorite relative. It could also be a nickname from your childhood or a character from a favorite book. The point is to create an association between the password and personal information that only you would readily know. Hackers may do some research into their victim’s personal life, so it might not be a good idea to use things like the name of your spouse or current child.
Another way to remember passwords is to create a mnemonic device. If you’ve been given a password with random numbers and letters, you need to create a phrase that’s easy to remember, even if it doesn’t make sense out loud. If one of your passwords is SN23K, for example, you might think “Sid needs 23 keys” or something equally memorable. Those containing random numbers might be remembered as word puzzles. A series of numbers like 1231144 might be remembered as ‘It took the apostles a whole month for a gross of eggs’. It may sound silly, but you will always remember 12 apostles, 31 days in a month and 144 eggs in a gross.
Sometimes passwords are recognizable by their patterns. Numeric codes like 1357 or 2468 are easier to remember than random ones like 2719. Muscle memory can also help people remember commonly used passwords. Logging into a personal computer, for example, requires the same password every time. Eventually, your fingers will recognize that keystroke even if you have trouble remembering it mentally. Imagine a keyboard or numeric keypad in your mind and allow your fingers to recreate these familiar patterns.
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