Bitcoin Forum

Well, as we all know one of the number one concerns for cryptography is having keys and other information properly protected with a strong password. and most people are not able to remember or do not want to remember a strong password. So my question is, where is a good place to keep a small bit of text on your person at all times.

The location would preferably not be in clothing, but here is a list of some things i thought of off the top of my head.

bracelet
tattoo
container in mouth
ankle bracelet
thigh strap
necklace
ring
watch
cavity
a hole you put in some part of your body to hold small things
rfid implant in hand (coupled with [inconspicuous] Faraday glove.)

so what can you guys think of, or what do you think of my list.

this would mostly be for storing small bits of 16+char string. possibly a few one time use passwords for various things, and a password for something like an encrypted device (mobile device, laptop, desktop etc..)

How about remembering it?

Name: Audrey
SS#: 123-45-6789

Password: 9876yerdua54321

Or:

Name: Audrey Smith
SS#: Same as above

Password: 987htims54yerdua321

People these days can't seem to remember more than 5 letter/number/symbol combinations.  Yet 20 years ago people could remember multiple 10 digit numbers...

Actually, seven is the magic number (http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/users/peterson/psy430s2001/Miller%20GA%20Magical%20Seven%20Psych%20Review%201955.pdf) and I haven't seen any evidence to suggest this has changed.

It is actually 7 +/- 2.

As for new evidence how about this (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/piq.20099/abstract;jsessionid=A4541D77850AF6A7A52B489C64338D84.d02t02).


I personally believe people are getting dumber as they save most information like telephone numbers and have speed dial.  If they would try to remember them then they would be able to remember other numbers.

Yes, according to that paper, it is 7 +/- 2 but I was focusing on a "magic number," not numbers. I apologize if my post seemed misleading. In any case, even the high end of 9 does not match your claim of "Yet 20 years ago people could remember multiple 10 digit numbers..."

Also, the paper you cited, though I haven't paid to read it in its entirety, does not claim that people in general have lost the ability to remember longer strings of symbols. The abstract merely suggests that the original paper was erroneous in its conclusion and doesn't cite those "recent studies" either.

The engagement rings.

Any ring, with writing on the inside of the band. Great idea, RRT5oN.

On the ISBN of your favorite book.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/EAN-13-ISBN-13.svg/300px-EAN-13-ISBN-13.svg.png

Or couple UPC's, with the labels on your desk.

http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/upc-ch.jpg

Or...

http://petnewsandviews.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dog-license.jpg

Or...

http://www.sim2.co.uk/home/files/site_images/serial_number.jpg

You also do not have to store it as text. Braille or morse code would be less obvious but still relatively easy to decode.

you guys are confusing working memory and long-term memory.

some pretty good ideas so far. the ideas of using already existing numbers on common objects are interesting.

watching...

That's 7+/-2 two-digit numbers, and that's short term memory

To memorize something with more than trivial entropy, just reference something in your brain that has been there a very long time and isn't likely to be erased.  Your brain stores it as references rather than sequences.

What if I made a passphrase: "Reznor said he wants to E-F-F you like an animal."  (E-F-F being a reference to the Electronic Frontier Foundation)

How many bits, and how hard would this be to forget as compared to "26AF1B0DFC30371C89"?

I bet I could get my sister to remember "Jem - Outrageous - Contagious - Bitcoin - Advantageous"

Relevant. (http://xkcd.com/936/)

This too. (https://www.grc.com/haystack.htm)