online privacy article for Linux Journal

Linux Journal will be publishing my article about Online Privacy and Security Using a Password Manager in the January edition ( pre-emptive URL ). I adapted my talk ( given at LinuxFest Northwest last year ) for print and concentrated more on the password manager aspect.

Thanks to Linux Journal for accepting my article and publishing it.

The article covers the importance of unique account information ( username, email address, password, security answers ) and how a password manager helps securely store everything.

This is the first time I've covered using KeePassX 2.x rather than the 1.x series. A great feature new in 2.x are the additional attributes fields. These let you keep secondary secrets such as random answers to security questions or random birthdates ( date -d @$(($RANDOM*24*3600/2-500000000)) +%Y%b%d ) hidden from shoulder-surfing or screenshots when you're using KeePassX.

As in the presentation, I cover email subaddressing for embedding unique tokens in your email address.

KeePassX is also a convenient escrow for life insurance policies or anything else that might need to be securely stored for the family. Not only can you securely store policy information, you can attach digital copies of the policies for secure storage.

Sidebars cover random string creation and other password manager such as KeePassDroid.

Unfortunately the LinuxFest Northwest presentation wasn't recorded. None of the other times I've given the presentation have been recorded either. SCaLE accepted another talk, so this topic probably won't be given there. I've talked to PLUG videographer Brian and I will likely give it at PLUG at the beginning of the year, so we can record it and get it online.

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