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PSA: I stopped using a password manager and my security got better

For years I used a popular password manager, but after it had a big leak last fall, I switched to writing them down in a small notebook I keep at home. I know everyone says that's a bad idea, but now I don't have to worry about a single company getting hacked and losing everything. I just make sure my passwords are long and mix in some numbers and symbols. Has anyone else moved away from digital managers after a scare?
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3 Comments
the_morgan
the_morgan29d ago
Saw a security researcher on Twitter talking about this exact thing. He said offline password managers are actually safer than cloud ones for most people, but a notebook can work too if you're careful. The trick is to never leave it out in the open and maybe use some code like writing "dog food brand" instead of the actual site name. I get the appeal of going analog after a big breach though, it feels way more in control. Just gotta be real about how easy it is to lose or damage paper stuff compared to digital.
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juliag10
juliag101mo ago
How do you handle passwords when you're not at home though? I get the fear after a big leak, my cousin had his stuff stolen from a manager breach last year. I still use one but I turned off cloud sync and keep the file on a USB drive I only plug in when I need a password.
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jadew63
jadew631mo ago
My buddy tried the USB thing like you mentioned @juliag10. He forgot the drive at a hotel last month and spent a whole weekend changing every password by hand. Now he uses a manager but with a crazy long master key he memorized.
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