Password Managers
A password manager is software that will securely store your login information for all the websites you use and help you log into them automatically. A password manager will encrypt your password database with a master password – the master password is the only one you have to remember.
Don’t Reuse Passwords!
Password reuse is a serious problem because of the many password leaks that occur each year, even on large websites. When your password leaks, malicious individuals have an email address, username, and password combination they can try on other websites. If you use the same login information everywhere, a leak at one website could give people access to all your accounts. If someone gains access to your email account in this way, they could use password-reset links to access other websites, like your online banking or PayPal account.
To prevent password leaks from being so damaging, you need to use unique passwords on every website. These should also be strong passwords – long, unpredictable passwords that contain numbers and symbols.
Web geeks have hundreds of accounts to keep track of, while even the average person likely has tens of different passwords. Remembering such strong passwords is nearly impossible without resorting to some sort of trick. The ideal trick is a password manager that generates secure, random passwords for you and remembers them so you don’t have to.
What Using a Password Manager is Like
A password manager will take a load off your mind, freeing up brain power for doing productive things rather than remembering a long list of passwords.
When you use a password manager and need to log into a website, you will first visit that website normally. Instead of typing your password into the website, you type your master password into the password manager, which automatically fills the appropriate login information into the website. (If you’re already logged into your password manager, it will automatically fill the data for you). You don’t have to think about what email address, username, and password you used for the website – your password manager does the dirty work for you.
If you’re creating a new account, your password manager will offer to generate a secure random password for you, so you don’t have to think about that, either. It can also be configured to automatically fill information like your address, name, and email address into web forms.
A dedicated password manager will store your passwords in an encrypted form, help you generate secure random passwords, and allow you to easily access your passwords across all the different computers, smartphones, and tablets you use.
Benefits Of Using A Password Manager
Remember Only One Password
A password manager stores all of your passwords in a single account. The master password to your safe is the only password you’ll ever need to remember.
Generate Random Passwords
Password managers can generate random passwords for each of your accounts. Password cracking programs are designed to guess the most common passwords first so completely random passwords are far stronger than those you come up with off the top of your head.
Login to Accounts Simply
You can login to accounts the easy way. Once you sign up for a password manager, you can install a browser extension that will autofill logins for you while still storing them securely.
Easily Change Your Passwords
Password managers make it easy to change or reset passwords. If a website you have an account with has been hacked, you can stay secure by using a built-in password generator to create a new password. Some password managers can even reset your passwords with the click of a button. You can also choose to change all of your passwords periodically for optimal security.
Use the Convenient Autofill Feature
You can still use the form autofill feature when you have a password safe. Instead of letting your web browser save your form information, entrust your password manager to store your personal information safely.
Share Passwords Securely
You can share passwords to joint accounts with family or coworkers. Of course, it’s generally not recommended you give away your personal passwords, but for shared accounts, a password manager gives you the option to control who has access to passwords.
Store More Than Just Passwords
Answers to security questions, shopping profiles, memberships, and medical prescriptions are just a few examples of additional information that can be stored securely in a password safe.
Use the Same Password Manager across Multiple Devices
Many password managers provide access across multiple devices. As we use our mobile devices more often (and as more websites provide optimized mobile experiences), this is increasingly important. Many of the password managers also provide support for passwords for apps.
Right now, the three most popular password managers are: LastPass, 1Password, and Dashlane.
Keep your personal information and accounts safe by switching to a password manager today!