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Comment by kryptiskt | Hacker News Reader

Put a key on your phone or an USB stick. I make a key for every machine that I have, and that keys never leaves that machine. In addition I keep another key that I can use to get started again if my laptop gets stolen or breaks.

If I lose the phone, there's a pretty good password on that key that should give me ample time to remove access rights for it.

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My idea is a USB stick on car keys (my comment) is preferred simply because a phone is a more high value target than your car keys typically. You usually don't leave your car keys "laying around" they are in your pocket although that probably depends on a host of factors. Plus your phone can get snatched out of your hands on the street or taken if you leave it for a second. That's at least the way I view the risk pro and con.

You can put a passphrase on the key and not worry about someone else getting it by stealing your phone, just remove it from authorized keys when you're back at a computer. Unless you're concerned about needing emergency server access while your phone got stolen and hasn't been replaced yet.

But at that point, we're probably also worried about the odds of getting run over by a bus and having amnesia that prevents you from using a password protected key, chance of getting struck by lightning, etc. ;)

Unless you're concerned about needing emergency server access while your phone got stolen and hasn't been replaced yet.

Yes actually. Because it has a copy of my password manager file, which has all the passwords to the various social sites I could use to alert friends that I need a ride home. ;)

definitely always use a passphrase on the key. bonus, if you userify, than you only need to remember your userify console password to get into anywhere, since you can regen a key and replace on all your servers in seconds.

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