Really? A notebook to write down your passwords in, sold by Amazon?

A mate of mine sent me this picture from the window of a bookshop recently.

I thought it was a joke at first, until I found the same notebook on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Personal-Internet-Address-Password-Organizer/dp/1441303251/

So I ordered a couple for interest sakes. It really is a logbook for passwords. Nuts!

I like their thought process, assuming they came up with the idea in 1980. Seriously though, why on earth aren’t people using encrypted password vaults for this?

The Amazon reviews are worth a read too. A few cases where people are using their real name to leave a glowing review. Risky, surely, telling the world where you write your passwords?

And just a few review from security professionals desperately trying to stop these damn logbooks from being sold, offering some decent password advice too.

Maybe it would be a bit more secure if the logbook was kept in a big steel box with a key. But then it wouldn’t fit in a pocket or handbag!

Even more amusing was the disclaimer on p3. “Keep this in a really secure place” – yeah, lock it away so it’s a complete faff to retrieve each time you need to log in, or are traveling. Like anyone is going to actually do that.

How about an encrypted password vault that offers seamless login and generates really strong unique passwords for each login. How unconventional.

Next plan is to pass it round the local pub to see who else figures out what a bad idea this is too. If the farmers of North Bucks can see the badness, then my drunken rantings about security have had an effect!