Pragmatic Passwords - secure, random passwords that are relatively easy to type - now with haystacks

Pragmatically secure passwords that are relatively easy to type - now with Haystacks.

Haystacks add length to a password by repeating a character multiple times, making it harder to brute-force attack without adding significant complexity to the password.

Passwords that contain completely random characters are notoriously difficult to type. Even with password storage utilities and browser plugins, you may still find yourself having to type in some passwords, occasionally. A password that is hard to break is usually one that is hard to type.

Pragmatic Passwords generates passwords that consist of groups of random letters, numbers and haystacks, e.g. VHQGN-&&&&-163-mhrs-XXAW. Grouping like this makes the password much easier to type, while still being quite random and not subject to typical dictionary attacks. With the addition of Haystacks, you can generate even longer passwords that require very little additional effort to type.

Other benefits:
* By keeping upper and lower case letters together, you can make use of caps-lock and avoid problems using the shift key
* The grouping also helps your eye and brain keep track of where you are within the password, if you are reading it
* If you want to memorize your password, you will find it easier if it is in chunks
* Pragmatic passwords are created using a cryptographically-secure random number generator

There is always a trade-off between security and convenience. Pragmatic Passwords may not be as secure as a completely random strings, but they are a lot better than dictionary words. Pragmatic Passwords make it easier to use longer passwords, especially with haystacks. Length is a major factor in password strength.

I recommend you keep your passwords in a secure password storing program. There are quite a few in the app store already. I recommend reading http://elcomsoft.com/news/498.html for an independent comparison, which was also discussed on Security Now episode 247 http://www.grc.com/sn/sn-347.htm

The term haystacks was coined by Steve Gibson.