1. #1

    PINs Password Management Tool

    If there is a better section in the forums for this article, please let me know.

    http://www.mirekw.com/winfreeware/pins.html

    Download and unzip the application to wherever you want to store it. Open PINs.exe. Vista and Windows 7 may ask your permission to run this the first time, so say yes. Select your language (English.ini, unless you decide you would prefer something else), and then enter the password you would like to use for PINs. This can be changed later if you like, or set to nothing (just hit enter to do that), but I recommend at least a simple password to get in.

    The database stores the passwords in an encrypted table using "a secure 448 bit Blowfish algorithm" (so says the site, I won't pretend to know anything about it.) to ensure that the passwords are more secure than just keeping your password in a plain text file and doing the same thing. Just an extra layer of security, even if a rarely needed one.

    Now you can begin configuring the application. First, right click on each of the categories you see listed (WWW, Pins, etc) and Remove them. These are just presets, but I like to get rid of them to simplify the interface. Now, right click in the tan background of the window and select "add new record". Use the following as a template to creating the entry.

    Category: Games
    System: World of Warcraft
    User: (Leave blank)
    Password Your Account Password
    Retype: Your Account Password

    Click "Accept" and it will take you back to the main window where you will see your newly created entry.

    You can customize the appearance and behavior of this application however you like. I like to set my interface to have all the categories expanded when I open it up. I also like to set it to let me double-click the entry to copy the password, instead of right-clicking to copy it.

    Before you exit pins the first time make sure you save your data. If you don't, next time you open it up you'll have to do this all over again. It should ask you to save if you try and close it, so make sure you at least say yes there =)

    You are ready to use PINs. Just open it up, copy the password, open up Warcraft and paste it in. By default, the password is removed from buffer and memory if you close or even minimize PINs. This can be changed if you like, but remember it before you start cussing because it won't let you paste your password =)

    If you like, you can have PINs generate a password for you, which will generally be more secure than things we typically come up with ourselves. Then you can just copy/paste from PINs to the battle.net site and have the password set and ready to go.

    Just like all account security tips or utilities, nothing is going to absolutely 100% guarantee the safety of your account if you browse to phishing sites or untrusted locations. Be smart first, and rely on security measures second!

    Sort of a long post, but I hope this helps someone out (or at least makes managing a ton of passwords easier!).
    .
    Last edited by cerbdog; 2010-10-08 at 02:31 PM.
    I'm a cheerleader priest. What I lack in intellect, I make up for in spirit! \o/

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •