Ask Slashdot: How Do You Securely Store Private Information For Posterity?

An anonymous reader writes "In the event of my untimely demise, my wife and family will need access to all of my private data (email, phone, laptop password, SSN, etc) and financial accounts and passwords (banks, 401(k), mortgage, insurance, etc). What's the best way to securely store all that data knowing the data is somewhat volatile (e.g. password changes) and also that someone else who is not technically savvy will need to access the most up to date version of it? Suggestions include a printed copy in a safe deposit box, an encrypted file, a secure server in the cloud, or maybe a commercial product."

Answer in the question

[Anonymous Coward]

Safety deposit box is probably the only reasonable solution. A file stored in the cloud or on a hard drive is likely to get deleted or the service will die before you do. Any documents/passwords/items your family needs should be stored in a safety deposit box. If the data changes frequently and your family absolutely needs access to it, which is unlikely, then keep them written down in a safe at home and make sure your family has the combination.

Mod parent up.

[khasim]

Any documents/passwords/items your family needs should be stored in a safety deposit box.

Let me expand that a bit.

If your family absolutely needs the information MAKE SURE IT IS IN A PHYSICAL FORMAT and stored in a secure location.

Electronic formats are not reliable enough for critical information. Particularly if your family members are not sufficiently tech savvy.

Re:Wuala + Dropbox

[Nightshade]

um... no. cloud vendors can disappear without notice in which case you're out of luck. lastpass was hacked last year so that isn't the safest choice either. see http://lifehacker.com/5799036/the-best-password-utilities-that-dont-store-your-data-in-the-cloud [lifehacker.com] so this is a real problem. the fact that you;re thinking about this means you're planning which is like better than probably 80% of people out there. so what i would do is come up with something that works for you and have your spouse/next of kin actually try to follow the agreed procedure without you around and have them report back on problem areas. a lot of businesses have disaster recovery plans which they try to play out once or twice a year. trying it definitely finds some problem areas.

Re:All of the above

[Anonymous Coward]

The "cloud" (both free or commercial) is very far to being a suitable solution for long term, secure store for private data. See the megaupload cease or even the stories of AWS outrage.

Anything network attached or even IT related is not suitable for what you are looking for. Probably the best solution is paper copies in a safe box with off site back up copies in safe-deposit box.

Re:Answer in the question

[Anonymous Coward]

In addition, storing the information out of your house protects you in the event of a fire, etc.

Re:Mod parent up.

[Anonymous Coward]

All of these are important suggestions, but you need to make sure that the ownership paperwork on the safe deposit box includes your spouse or "personal representative." Otherwise they don't have direct access to it. They would have to either have a power of attorney that grants them access to it or get a court order allowing access to it, either in probate or a guardianship/conservatorship situation. Because people forget to allow such access but shove their will in there, it is not completely uncommon for a probate proceeding to be opened without the will being able to be provided, the safety deposit box probated, then once the contents of box are found to contain the will, the will is then entered into the probate and the rest of the property taken care of. As you can tell, that is a longer and more expensive proposition.

Re:encryption?

[Instine]

My wife passed this year. And in reality, its not this simple. The first issue here is that dealing with court orders is the last thing you want to be doing. Your head is a mess. A real big mess. The question here is a great one. How do you make it easy, is the point. What you suggest sounds easy. But in practice, I promise, it's not.

And its not just legal documents you want access to. It's a friend's email address, or a recipe for her favourite cake. Even if you can get a court order to do this, would you?

This is a digital problem with a complex human coating. I want to hear the solution to the question asked, as asked. I don't have the answer.

If you have substantial assets, you need a trust

[durdur]

A family trust can pass assets to your surviving spouse or other beneficiaries without having to go through probate. (it can provide some tax advantages, too). Put your bank account and other assets, including title to your house, in the name of the trust, and then the trust document controls what happens to them when you die.