Web Savvy: Forgot Your Site Password? Just Yodlee

The most infuriating words in Web surfing are "Invalid user ID or password. Please try again." So you try again, and again. Was it the ID you remembered wrong, or was it the password? Finally the Web site locks you out because it thinks you're a security hazard to yourself.

In my early days online, I tried to use the same ID and password at every site I joined. But that didn't always work (and probably wasn't wise). Some sites required numbers in the middle of passwords. Other sites wouldn't accept the punctuation I used. Internet Explorer offered to remember my ID and passwords for me, but given IE's record of security holes, I declined the invitation.

These days I regularly botch Web sign-ins. It's no big deal at The New York Times online: I just sign up again with a new ID and password. But lately I've entrusted more of my life to the Web. I pay bills there, track frequent-flier miles, and invest through multiple brokers. I can't afford to forget these passwords, yet they're the hardest to remember.

I've tried several free downloads to manage passwords, such as Passwords Plus and Whisper 32. But many of these programs are little more than databases that hold your info and let you copy and paste it into log-in screens. Several online services are designed to remember your IDs and passwords. But with so many Web sites going out of business, I'm not sure these are a good long-term option.

Then I discovered Yodlee. Besides remembering IDs and passwords, it aggregates data from other sites that you use. You can sign up for it free at Yodlee or through any of the major Web sites that rebrand the service, such as American Express, Quicken.com, and Yahoo Finance. I signed up for my online bank's version of Yodlee.

Using the bank's Yodlee-powered service, I enter the IDs and passwords for my important Web destinations once, and it logs in to those sites to retrieve up-to-date data like bank balances, frequent-flier miles, and bills due. Yodlee gets this info only with my permission.

It displays all the data in one place. But if I want to go to one of those sites, I just click a button; Yodlee whisks me there and automatically logs me in. I have programmed every Web site I care about--from the one carrying my credit card information to the one handling my Web-based e-mail account--into my Yodlee service. And I can view my EBay auctions, Amazon shipments, Expedia reservations, and New York Times headlines on tabbed pages through my bank's site.

Is Yodlee secure? The people at Yodlee assured me that they use every known security measure from data encryption to intrusion detection to protect their servers. And if I leave my PC for 10 minutes, the service logs me out to prevent anyone from rifling through my accounts. Major firms like America Online, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Fidelity Investments offer Yodlee to their users, so the service will probably be around for a long time.

I've tried many ways to keep track of all my online passwords, and nothing is perfect. But for my truly important online accounts, Yodlee is a terrific tool.

Gimme Five: Web Shopping for the Holidays

RedEnvelope: Eye-pleasing site with excellent service and online chat offers a wide variety of classy gifts, from baby toys to cocktail glasses.

RightStart: Web version of a little-known but great children's store. Large selection, plus live online help.

J&R Electronics: Although the site isn't much to look at, the prices are generally good, shipping is prompt, and customer service is responsive.

Cooking.com: Everything for the kitchen and beyond, plus some of the best product recommendations, reviews, and buying advice around.

Omahasteaks.com: More than just mouth-watering beef. Lots of good deals plus frequent freebies.