Many tactics abound for keeping sensitive information secure. Many folks keep a special notebook or file with their passwords and store it somewhere they think no one will look. Others use any number of digital and/or online solutions. For website passwords, web browsers are a common place to store them and the passwords are encrypted by your Mac computer password.

However, there are many other kinds of data you might like to store, such as financial accounts, wireless networks, and association memberships. Some password managers are more flexible than others at handling various categories of information.

Pen on Paper

Handwritten documents are probably the most common among the clients I’ve seen in the last few years. Some folks have a dedicated notebook where they only store account passwords and related information. Others use a journal that contains all sorts of notes from their computing experiences.

Some people use sticky notes they can reorganize to keep their accounts arranged logically while others write passwords on the back of an envelope or receipt, or just about any other scrap of paper on hand.

Whether they remember where they left their list, nobody knows. Those who know they won’t remember use stickies and leave them stuck to their computer for easy access. In short, I don’t recommend this method.

Typed Document

A popular alternative is a word-processing or spreadsheet document. Many clients make this once and then handwrite subsequent changes. Some reprint it periodically with updates. Most store the printout in a hidden file or home safe. This is not a bad approach in case one’s devices stop working or the Internet goes down.

However, I recommend using a safe deposit box or similarly secure location. Additionally, I suggest establishing a system for updating this document. Since it will likely be stored in digital form, try password-protecting the file or storing it on a flash drive in the same physical vault and not on your computer.

Digital Manager

The more secure approach is to use a digital application designed for the task. I recommend 1Password, which has never been hacked (unlike some other password utilities). Even if it was, your information would still be safe.

You create a master password that is meaningful and easy to remember but difficult for others to guess. 1Password generates a secret key and the two in combination secure your data.

Such managers support many categories of information so you can keep your secrets organized, whether locally on your Mac, on 1Password’s secure servers, and/or synced among your multiple devices. You can even share certain secrets among team or family members while keeping others private.

How do you keep your secrets away from prying eyes?