Apr 2013

The Password Minder

Several weeks ago I saw a Twitter post from Mikko Hypponen.



It provided a link to a YouTube video of what was effectively a physical paper note book intended to be used to store your critically sensitive logins and passwords for web sites, email settings and so on. Either the video was an elaborate and hilarious fake, or else there really was such a thing as the “Password Minder”. Many people re-tweeted and wrote about it.

I dismissed it as a likely fake. Surely nobody would be so stupid to consider using a simple paper note pad emblazoned with “Password Minder” on the front with plainly written user names and passwords within and consider it secure? I guess anybody who would use such a thing would soon find it redundant though since every entry would comprise the same user name and password of “password” or “1234” :-)

But then, a couple of weeks ago while I was in the local Barnes & Noble book store, I came across this. I had to snap a photo of it since I was so surprised to see it.


InternetPasswordLogbook1InternetPasswordLogbook2

Yes, they (or variations of them) do actually exist! And this one was a bargain too at only $5.98!

Incredible!

Ellen DeGeneres subsequently did a great job of ridiculing the “Password Minder” on her show. Check out this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Srh_TV_J144

And no, I didn’t buy one.