Password Security
We undoubtedly have dozens of passwords for various work, business, home, and personal accounts. In the early days as we created new accounts, life was easier by using the same password we always used. Our memory allowed us to access an account we had not used in weeks or months without trying to remember or using a note or document to record our accounts and passwords.
However, those days are long gone if we want to improve our odds of ensuring we are the only ones accessing our accounts. We have learned that a document containing all our accounts and access credentials is a disaster waiting to happen. We have also learned that using the same password on our accounts means that if one account is compromised, they are all compromised; and what a pain that could be.
Enter Google, Apple, and many others who offer to generate and store passwords for us through our web browser or our phones. While these solutions seem helpful and often are, do we really know if these solutions are safeguarding our account access information the way we hope they are? Are they easy to manage changes or new accounts? What if it works great on my phone for personal accounts but leaves me in a state of disarray on my home computer? What about my work or business accounts? Do I navigate a different solution that makes things complicated?
If you are struggling with the scenarios mentioned, then maybe it is time to consider a password management solution.
Password Manager Considerations and Solutions
When considering a password manager, think about the platforms you use such as your web browser (Edge, Chrome, Safari, etc.) and the type of mobile phone, tablet, and computer you use. When looking at password managers you want to make sure it supports the platforms you are using or plan to use.
Most top-rated password manager tools have similar features but if it does not work on your device with the applications you most often use, you do not want to be stuck looking it up in your password manager and entering the secure password generated for your account like #37wYU809QR3wE8@.
Where personal use and business overlap, you should see if you can use the same password manager for both, even if you need to create separate accounts for the Password Manager to keep business and personal accounts separate.
Password managers in general have a master account you will use to manage the information for the accounts and information you want to secure. You will log in and manage the websites, secure notes, and other information you want to secure. They often provide browser plugins that allow quick access to your library of accounts as well as detect when you visit a site requesting your user-id and password and can automatically fill in credentials.
There are many password managers out there and a variety of options to explore; here are a few just to get you started:
We encourage you to do your research on password managers and make the move. Some of these, and others, offer a free version that may be sufficient for your needs.
Happy Secure Computing!