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Privacy & Security

How to Make Your Own USB Password Generator Dongle

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Ah, passwords. Regardless of what system you use, they’re a pain in the ass to manage, remember or access. But maybe there’s a solution. What about making a USB dongle that enters and creates new passwords every time you plug it in?

Joonas Pihlajamaa decided to give it a try, and put together this little USB drive. Every time he plugs it into a PC, it enters his password. Tap Caps Lock four times in succession, and it generates a new password ready for next time.

To make it, he gutted a USB stick and created some new circuitry using an Attiny chip, a handful of resistors, a couple of diodes and a scrap of breadboard. It looks easy enough that I could do it—which says quite a lot.

If you fancy having a go, he’s gives a full rundown of the process in this guide. [Code and Life via Hack a Day]

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