Pastwords

[cpslashm]

Something which bugs me as a computer programmer is the way most things are controlled by computers and most computers are locked down.

Something bad happens. Lots of people die, leaving lots of stuff for the survivors.

Which is junk.

For example. There are apps to build a mesh network using smartphones. Lots of dead people leave smartphones but they cannot be used as they are locked. Wind turbines are computer controlled and will need maintenance which probably requires a password. The entire Internet is run on servers which need regular maintenance (and passwords).

Cars won't run if the management computer is simply by-passed - they demand the correct key. High-security door locks are virtually unpickable, requiring a window to be broken and if it's not boarded up immediately vermin get in making the house unfit for later use.

An awful lot of stuff will be useless due to security and privacy concerns but then, would we be prepared to remove our phone PINs or glue the key into the ignition just in case we don't make it in the hope that we could be helping someone else? Probably not!

[Decaff]

You can make it easier for your loved ones if you leave a notebook detailing all your password information for them for when you are gone. Just make sure you update it as and when passwords are changed.

Oh and don't just leave it sitting around, make sure it is safely out of sight and isn't screaming out what it is, keep it safe!

[cpslashm]

Good point.

However, you need to let your nearest and dearest know where it is. How many of your extended family/community can you trust?

There is still the problem of accessing non-personal computer controlled plant.

Perhaps we need geeky individuals to come up with ways to replace a solar farm's control system with a Raspberry Pi.

[Captain Darling]

Leave it with your will. Then there's only one way they're getting on your FB.

[cpslashm]

If civilization collapses, no solicitors..... (not sure which emoticon to add)

[redskies]

We use Last Pass. Hubby knows my password (I use a song lyric, as I find those easy to remember) and his, which even he can't remember, is written down .... somewhere. I know, but I'm not tellin you lot

Phone access is also something we've shared.

[Arzosah]

You should write some apoca-fic, cpslashm! Thats a good one

[Captain Darling]

If civilisation collapsed, no FB...

[Deeps]

I've got a couple of 'standards' that I use so I can usually figure them out, variations of the same numbers and letters. As I posted a while back my pin numbers for my bank cards are hidden in a couple of 5 x 5 blocks of numbers, I upped it two 2 blocks to double the 'encryption'. I do know them and I've only needed to refer to it once when I was abroad and a tad 'squiffy'.

Mrs Deeps knows my standard passwords too, its not such an issue now that I'm here all the time but when I was working away it made life a lot easier for her. For things like pin locks I've used numbers that I knew, I worked with radios so frequencies were an easy one for me to use but the main thing is remembering the numbers, whatever ones you use especially if you're using different ones (which is way more secure). Even if you're using crib sheets you can be discreet, if its a 'standard' password you can put 'usual' or the like instead of spelling it out.

[preparedsurrey]

If civilisation collapsed, no FB...

Something to look forwards to post apocolypse then!)