谈到数字世界，我是家里唯一一个对此了解很多的人。不幸的是，我的妻子只使用她的 iPhone 收发电子邮件、Facebook、聊天和玩游戏。就是这样。另一方面，我管理与(manage EVERYTHING)Internet 或计算机(Internet or computers)相关的所有其他事情。我管理我们的网上银行(online banking)、投资和信用卡。
我还拥有我们使用的所有网站的所有密码和登录名，从AAA到我们的HOA 网站(HOA site)，从航空公司到社交媒体网络等。此外，我还管理您的所有数字媒体，包括照片、视频和重要的数字文档. 使情况复杂化的是，我经营一家完全数字化的企业：写博客！我有几个网站，与他们自己的个人银行账户和跨越广告网络交易、社交媒体页面、托管网站等的在线身份相关联。
最近，我突然想到，如果我去世或以任何方式丧失行为能力，这个家庭就会被搞砸。她不知道我们有多少银行账户、投资在哪里、我们有哪些在线账户或我在云中存储了哪些东西（很多）。另外，即使她这样做了，她也无法登录其中任何一个。这意味着将有大量的数字登录和资产闲置，没有人管理或照看它们。我们的数字身份将一团糟。
唯一的优点是她知道我的主密码(master password)并且可以访问我的双因素身份验证设备(authentication device)，她可以使用它来访问我所有网站和登录名的列表。然而，她甚至不知道在哪里使用主密码(master password)，因为她以前从未这样做过。
在本文中，我想介绍一些我在过去几周研究的可能的解决方案，以及我如何决定在我过早死亡或死亡(death or demise)的情况下保护我的数字遗产。不是很有趣的事情，但完全有必要，尤其是因为我们在生活中所做的大部分事情都是在线或数字格式的。
首先，把它放在一起
无论您最终采取何种途径将信息传递给重要的其他人或家人(family member)，您首先需要将所有信息集中在一起并将其存储在一个地方。现在有几种方法可以做到这一点，但绝对有必要非常安全地存储数据，因为您基本上将整个数字生活放在一个位置。
根据您的信任程度，您可以以数字方式或老式方式生成此列表。我使用了一个我确信不会被黑客入侵的密码管理器应用程序。(password manager)但是，如果您完全不愿意将此类敏感信息放到网上(information online)，那么最好将其全部写下来或输入，然后打印并删除数字版本。
数字存储的两个最佳选择是KeePass 和 LastPass(KeePass and LastPass)。KeePass可以存储在本地，因此对于那些担心在Internet上存储所有内容的人来说可能是一个更好的选择。如果您对加密和双重身份验证(encryption and two-factor authentication)感到满意，那么您可以使用LastPass来编译所有基本数据。
LastPass具有其他有用的安全功能，例如一次性密码(time password)。使用一次性密码(time password)，您可以将其存储在安全的位置(secure location)，例如家庭保险箱，如果您发生任何事情，您的配偶可以使用此密码登录您的帐户。一次性密码(time password)的好处是它会在您登录一次后过期。因此，您不必提供您的主密码，也不(master password nor store)必将其存储在任何不安全的地方。
就你应该收集的信息而言，它应该是你能想到的一切。电子邮件(Email)帐户、网上银行(online banking)、信用卡、投资、社交网站、航空公司、购物网站、备份网站、托管网站等。基本上(Basically anything)，您曾经登录过的任何东西仍然是相关且有用的。使用KeePass 和 LastPass(KeePass and LastPass)，您还可以为您添加的每个项目添加注释，因此如果您需要包含除登录信息之外的其他信息，则可以轻松添加。
其次，确保一切安全
现在您已经掌握了数字生活中存在的所有内容的主集合(master collection)，您需要确保它是安全的。如果您使用LastPass 或 KeePass(LastPass or KeePass)等数字选项，则需要使用的不仅仅是强密码。两者都具有辅助身份验证（两个因素）选项，可让一切安全性提高一百万倍。
然而，即使使用加密和双因素身份验证(encryption and two-factor authentication)，数据仍然可能受到损害，这就是人们对以数字方式存储数据持谨慎态度的原因所在。例如，如果您最终得到在后台秘密运行的间谍软件或恶意软件(spyware or malware)，它可以轻松捕获您输入的所有内容。就实际访问整个数据库而言，这将更加困难，因为数据被高度加密默认。即使恶意软件将您的数据库文件(database file)远程复制到他们的计算机，即使使用许多快速计算机，他们也无法在任何人为可行的时间内破解它。
在开始之前，用于编译所有这些信息的计算机必须是干净的，这一点很重要。如果您进行大量复制和粘贴(copying and pasting)，恶意软件可以在剪贴板中的内容进入加密数据库之前捕获它。此外，如果有人可以远程控制您的计算机，那么他们可以打开程序（如果保持打开状态）并获取他们需要的所有信息。这就是为什么如果您不使用数据库（KeePass ）关闭数据库并在使用(KeePass)浏览器扩展程序(browser extension)（LastPass ）时设置一个短暂的超时也是必不可少的。
使用LastPass 浏览器(LastPass browser)扩展，您可以直接从浏览器访问所有内容。(access everything)这样方便自动登录网站等，但也存在很大的安全隐患(security risk)。如果有人接管了您的计算机并且您已登录LastPass，他们只需导出包含所有登录名和凭据的文件，然后在几分钟或更短的时间内将其传输给自己。
然而，LastPass知道这一切，因此有很多安全选项。例如，如果您关闭浏览器，您可以确保LastPass注销，这意味着如果其他人经过并打开浏览器，他们将不得不再次登录。您也可以拥有它，以便它在一定的空闲时间后注销。我将其设置为几分钟，因为我不希望其他人在我不在并且浏览器窗口(browser window)打开时访问我的帐户。
使用KeePass，您还可以获得相当多的安全性。最新版本甚至能够混淆安装在您机器上的键盘记录器，使它们无法真正捕获您在任何字段中键入的数据。除了主密码(master password)之外，您还可以使用密钥文件。密钥文件是存储在外部设备上的文件，除了主密码(master password)之外还需要使用才能打开数据库。最后，您也可以将数据库链接到您的Windows 帐户(Windows account)，因此即使使用密码和密钥文件，您也必须登录到该特定用户帐户(user account)。
这就是为什么几乎每个人都使用这两个选项之一来存储安全登录信息。如果您不想使用任何数字选项，那么只需将所有内容都写在纸上。我强烈建议不要使用像Word这样的程序然后打印文件。主要问题是，当您创建文件时，它很容易受到攻击并且没有加密。另外，您有机会完全忘记它，从而使自己面临各种问题。显然，编译该列表需要相当多的时间，因此最好在执行此操作时使用一些安全(something secure)的东西。
稍后，将数据库导出为打印版本后，如果您确实感到不舒服，可以删除数据库或在线帐户。(database or online account)
第三，找律师
不幸的是，现实世界和数字世界是相互关联的。当有人去世时，银行通常会冻结他们的账户。如果您没有设置正确的财务授权书，您的妻子可能在财产清算之前无法获得任何资金。这会给已经非常紧张的情况增加更多压力。
合适的律师可以为您安排好一切，甚至可以用来存储您的机密主打印文件或主密码(file or master password)。重要的是正确设置所有授权书。联名支票账户(checking account)可以使用，但前提是您有一个银行账户(bank account)。在像我这样的情况下，我有一堆银行账户(bank account)，上面只有我的名字。如果我想让她控制，只给她登录信息(login information)将无济于事。实际上，这可能会造成更多麻烦，因为从技术上讲，她会在我死后访问这些帐户触犯法律。
第四，编写指南并存储它
最后，您需要实际创建一些非技术人员可以遵循的东西。最好的方法是写一个文档，解释如何设置，哪些帐户很重要，如何访问它们等。打印此文档以及所有登录名的列表并将其存储(everything and store)在保险箱中银行的保险箱(deposit box)。
不要将它存放在家里，如果可能的话，即使是在其中一个家用保险箱(home safes)中。为什么？好吧，最好将其保存在需要有人真正走进公共场所的官方位置。如果你家里有保险箱，而且有人知道里面有什么，这可能会导致某人做一些轻率的事情，比如强迫你信任的人为他们打开保险箱。这可能是一个很小的机会，但事实是有时会在某人死后发生疯狂的事情，而您不想处理它。
如果您不想将整个密码和登录列表实际存储在保险箱中(deposit box)，您可以将主密码(master password)保存在那里，或者甚至只保存一个一次性密码(time password)，尽管这样做有点冒险，因为它只能使用。一次，如果有人在没有得到正确信息的情况下被锁定，那么他们将永远无法重新进入。
结论
这显然不是在您死后将您的数字身份转移给其他人的唯一方式或最佳方式，但这是第一步，包括我自己在内的大多数人甚至都没有想过。我和我的妻子很久以前就通过信托和(trust and power)授权书制定了一份遗嘱，但我意识到这只是她妥善管理一切所需的一半。
如果您制定了计划以及您用于收集和存储敏感信息的工具或流程，请告诉我们您的想法。享受！
OTT Guide to Securing Your Digital Life After Death
When it comes to the digital world, I’m the only one in my family that knows much about it. Unfortunatelу, my wife uses only her іPhone for email, Facebook, chatting, and games. That’s about it. I, on the other hand, manаge EVERYTHING else related tо the Internet or computers. I manage our online banking, investmеnts, and credit cards.
I also have all the passwords and logins for all the sites we use from AAA to our HOA site to airlines to social media networks, etc, etc. In addition, I also manage all of your digital media including photos, videos and important digital documents. Complicating the situation is that I run a business that is totally digital: blogging! I have several sites, tied to their own individual bank accounts and online identities spanning ad networks deals, social media pages, hosting sites, etc.
Recently, the thought occurred to me that if I were to pass away or become incapacitated in any way, the family would be screwed. She wouldn’t know how many bank accounts we have, where the investments are, what online accounts we have or what stuff I have stored in the cloud (which is a lot). Plus, even if she did, she would not be able to log into any of them. This would mean that there would be a whole slew of digital logins and assets sitting around with no one to manage them or look after them. Our digital identity would be a complete mess.
The only saving grace is that she knows my master password and has access to my two-factor authentication device, which she could use to access a list of all my sites and logins. However, she wouldn’t even know where to use the master password since she’s never done it before.
In this article, I want to walk through some possible solutions that I researched over the last few weeks and how I decided to secure my digital legacy in case of my untimely death or demise. Not fun stuff to think about, but totally necessary especially since most of the stuff we do in our lives is online or in digital format.
Firstly, Get It All Together
No matter what route you take in the end to pass on information to your significant other or family member, you first need to get all the information together and store it in one place. Now there are a couple of ways to do this, but it’s absolutely necessary that the data is stored very securely since you’re basically putting your entire digital life in one location.
Depending on your level of trust, you can generate this list either digitally or the old-school way. I use a password manager app that I feel confident won’t be hacked into. However, if you are just plain averse to putting such sensitive information online at all, then it’s best to simply write it all down or type it up and then print it and delete the digital version.
The two best options for digital storage are KeePass and LastPass. KeePass can be stored locally and therefore might be a better option for those wary of storing everything on the Internet. If you’re comfortable with encryption and two-factor authentication, then you can use LastPass to compile all the essential data.
LastPass has other useful security features like a one time password. With a one time password, you could store this in a secure location like a home safe and your spouse could use this password to log into your account if something were to happen to you. The nice thing about a one time password is that it expires after you log in once. So you don’t have to give out your master password nor store it anywhere that is not as secure as you would like.
In terms of the information you should collect, it should literally be everything you can think of. Email accounts, online banking, credit cards, investments, social networking sites, airlines, shopping sites, backup sites, hosting sites, etc, etc. Basically anything you ever have logged into that still is pertinent and useful. With KeePass and LastPass, you can also add notes to each item you add, so if there is additional information other than login information you need to include, it’s easy to add that.
Secondly, Secure It All
Now that you have a master collection of everything that exists in your digital life, you need to make sure it’s secure. If you’re using the digital options like LastPass or KeePass, you need to use more than just a strong password. Both have secondary authentication (two factor) options that make everything a million times more secure.
Even with encryption and two-factor authentication, however, the data can still be compromised and this is where people wary of storing data digitally have a legitimate claim. For example, if you end up with spyware or malware that runs secretly in the background, it could easily capture everything you type in. In terms of actually getting access to your entire database, that would be much harder since the data is heavily encrypted by default. Even if the malware were to copy your database file to their computer remotely, they would not be able to crack it in any humanly feasible amount of time even with many fast computers.
It’s essential that the computer you use to compile all of this information is clean before you start. If you’re doing a lot of copying and pasting, malware can capture what’s in the clipboard before it gets into the encrypted database. Also, if someone can remotely control your computer, then they can open the programs (if left open) and get all the information they need. That’s why it’s also essential to close the database if you’re not using it (KeePass) and to set a short timeout if you are using the browser extension (LastPass).
With the LastPass browser extension, you can access everything right from your browser. This is convenient for logging into sites automatically, etc, but it also poses a big security risk. If someone takes over your computer and you’re logged into LastPass, they can just export a file with all logins and credentials and transfer it to themselves in a few minutes or less.
However, LastPass knows of all this and therefore has lots of security options. For example, if you close the browser, you can make sure that LastPass logs out meaning if someone else comes by and opens the browser, they’ll have to login again. You can also have it so that it logs out after a certain amount of idle time. I set this to a few minutes because I don’t want the ability for someone else to access my account while I’m not there and the browser window is open.
With KeePass, you also have quite a bit of security. The newest version even has the ability to confuse keyloggers installed on your machine so that they can’t actually capture the data you type into any of the fields. In addition to a master password, you can use key files. A key file is a file that is stored on an external device and needs to be used in addition to the master password to open the database. Lastly, you can link the database to your Windows account too, so even with the password and key file, you would aso have to be logged into that particular user account.
That’s why pretty much everyone uses one of these two options for storing secure login information. If you don’t want to use any digital option, then simply write everything down on paper. I would highly advise against using a program like Word and then printing the file. The main issue being that while you are creating the file, it’s wide open to attack and not encrypted. Plus you have the chance of forgetting about it altogether, thereby opening yourself up to all kinds of problems. It will obviously take quite a bit of time to compile the list, so it’s best to use something secure while you do it.
At a later point, after exporting the database to a printed version, you could delete the database or online account if you really felt uncomfortable.
Thirdly, Get a Lawyer
Unfortunately, the real world and the digital world are interconnected. When someone dies, the bank will usually freeze their accounts. If you don’t have the correct financial power of attorney set up, your wife may not be able to access any money until after the estate is settled. This can add more stress to an already super-stressful situation.
A proper lawyer can get everything in order for you and can even be used to store your confidential master printed file or master password. What’s essential is getting all the power of attorneys setup correctly. A joint checking account will work, but that’s only if you have one bank account. In a case like mine, I have a bunch of bank accounts and only my name is on them. If I want her to take control, just giving her the login information will do nothing. Actually, it can cause more trouble because technically she’ll be breaking the law by accessing the accounts after my death.
Fourthly, Write a Guide & Store It
Lastly, you need to actually create something that someone non-technical can follow. The best way to do this is to write up a document that explains how things are setup, what accounts are important, how to access them, etc. Print this document and additionally, the list of all logins for everything and store this in a safe deposit box in a bank.
Do not store this at home, even in one of those home safes if possible. Why? Well, it’s just better to keep it in an official location that requires someone to actually walk into a public place. If you have a safe at home and there are people who know what’s inside, it could cause someone to do something rash like force your trusted person to open it for them. It’s probably a small chance, but the fact is that crazy stuff happens after someone dies sometimes and you don’t want to be dealing with that.
If you don’t want to actually store the entire password and login list in the safe deposit box, you can just keep the master password there or even just a single one time password, though that is a little riskier since it can only be used once and if someone gets locked out after that without getting the proper information, then they won’t ever be able to get back in.
Conclusion
This is obviously not the only way or the best way to transfer your digital identity to someone else after your death, but it’s a first step and one that most people, including myself, have never even bothered to think about. My wife and I created a will long ago with a trust and power of attorneys, but I realized that was only half of what she’ll need to manage everything properly.
Let us know your thoughts if you’ve created a plan and what tools or processes you used for collecting and storing sensitive information. Enjoy!
