Web comic xkcd notes that “through 20 years of effort, we’ve successfully trained everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember, but easy for computers to guess.” The comic above makes a compelling (if knowingly imperfect) argument for password length over obscurity, and in response, one developer put together the xkcd password generator. It does what the comic suggests: strings together four random words to create a tough-to-guess password that’s easy to remember. More »
Web comic xkcd notes that “through 20 years of effort, we’ve successfully trained everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember, but easy for computers to guess.” The comic above makes a compelling (if knowingly imperfect) argument for password length over obscurity, and in response, one developer put together the xkcd password generator. It does what the comic suggests: strings together four random words to create a tough-to-guess password that’s easy to remember. More »
Mac OS X: There are lots of ways to hide your files, but Skedaddle offers one that both useful and fun. It creates a secret drawer in your desktop that opens with a keyboard shortcut and a password. The app is kind enough to walk you through the entire setup process and help you test the preferences you choose. Once you’re all set, you’ll have a little hiding space for your folders and files. You can customize the size of that space as well as how items within it are displayed. While Skedaddle won’t encrypt the data it stores, it does a great job at keeping things hidden that you don’t want people to see. If you’re mainly looking to protect your privacy when others are using your computer, it’s a good app to have. More »
Mac OS X: There are lots of ways to hide your files, but Skedaddle offers one that both useful and fun. It creates a secret drawer in your desktop that opens with a keyboard shortcut and a password. The app is kind enough to walk you through the entire setup process and help you test the preferences you choose. Once you’re all set, you’ll have a little hiding space for your folders and files. You can customize the size of that space as well as how items within it are displayed. While Skedaddle won’t encrypt the data it stores, it does a great job at keeping things hidden that you don’t want people to see. If you’re mainly looking to protect your privacy when others are using your computer, it’s a good app to have. More »
Would you be able to defend yourself and your loved ones if someone were to physically attack you? It’s a question most of us don’t want to consider, but violence is, unfortunately, a fact of life. Thankfully, regardless of strength, size, or previous training, anyone can learn several effective self-defense techniques. Here’s how to prepare for and stay safe in common real-world violent situations. More »
Dear Lifehacker,
I’m upgrading my phone and selling my old one on eBay. How do I make sure all my personal data is off of the phone before I sell it off to someone else? More »
While the Mac is rarely targeted for security exploits and viruses, it's no stranger to software piracy—likely because Mac apps are pretty easy to crack. Here's how it can be done and how to prevent it. More »
Those important computer tasks—like securing, cleaning, and backing up—are like any other resolution: we all say we’re going to do them but rarely keep up with them all year. Here’s our simple guide to staying on track in 2011. More »
We recently went through a few ways to break into a Windows PC without the password, and it turns out it’s just as easy to break into a Mac too. Here’s how to do it and keep yourself protected. More »
Last week we asked you to share your favorite file encryption tool. We tallied up the votes and put the five top contenders before you in the Hive Five. Now we’re back to highlight the winner and runners-up. More »
