From: Eli Brandt <ebrandt@jarthur.cs.hmc.edu>
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 94 14:17:41 PDT
To: cypherpunks list <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Re: Password Difficulties
In-Reply-To: <199407020153.AA07332@world.std.com>
Message-ID: <9407022117.AA06795@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> It boils down to this: I can't remember as many bits as the TLAs can
> crack by brute force.

Have you *tried* to memorize these long passphrases?  I pick ones that
are substantially too complex for me to memorize in one trial.  So I
write the candidate passphrase on paper until I have a grasp on it,
then burn the paper, scatter the ashes (yes, literally), and begin to
use the passphrase.  My experience is that once I've successfully
remembered a phrase two or three times, I will not forget it.

This approach is vulnerable to anyone who is able to snoop around my
belongings, but at that point they might just as well do what they
did to Ames.  I hardly think I warrant this kind of attention.

   Eli   ebrandt@hmc.edu