These days the news about data breaches and compromised passwords are becoming more frequent. As technology advances, our passwords become more vulnerable. One of the top safety practices recommended by security experts is to use a password manager.
WHAT IS A PASSWORD MANAGER?
One of the first things you should know about a password manager is what it is and what it does. Many of us are guilty of using the same passwords for different accounts or we tend to reuse the same ones over and over again. This leaves us open to crimes such as identity theft. A password manager will generate a long random code that it will use as a password to an account. The password manager can do this for any and as many accounts as needed, while protecting your information. A password manager can also store information such as pin numbers, credit card numbers, security question responses, and more. This information is secured with encryption that is so strong it would take a hacker years to crack. The only password you will ever need to remember is the one to your password manager vault.
CONVENIENCE
Most password managers use an autofill feature that can store credentials. It will make it convenient to fill out forms with information such as your name, email address, phone number, etc. This feature becomes a huge time saver. Many shopping sites offer to save your credit card information for convenience, but can you be sure about how safely that website is storing your information? The password manager can handle storing this type of information and you won’t have to worry about it being compromised.
WHERE WILL PASSWORDS BE STORED AND IS IT SAFE?
You have a couple of options when it comes to storing your passwords. You can either store them on a cloud-based server or locally on your laptop or a storage device at home. Another option is to store your passwords on a company’s servers. If you’re not a fan of keeping all of your passwords on one site in the cloud, you can always go the local route. Companies such as LastPass and 1Password will keep your vault safely secured on their servers, which allows you to sync your data across multiple devices. Companies that offer password managers are equipped with super strong encryption.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU FORGET YOUR PASSWORD MANAGER PASSWORD?
Forgetting a password is a common fear. Only LastPass offers you password hints or a way to reset your password. If you forget your password, you will basically be locked out of your account. However, this means you’ll just have to reset all of your passwords. A good way to avoid forgetting your password is to write it down and keep it in a safe location.
WHICH PASSWORD MANAGER TO CHOOSE?
Now that you know about the convenience and safety of using a password manager, which company should you go with? Two of the most common are 1Password and LastPass:
1Password | A slightly more expensive option than most, charging $36 per year for one person or $60 for a family of up to five people. 1Password was originally designed for Apple users but has expanded to provide options for Windows and Android users as well. 1Password allows you to control where your information and data goes, who has access to it, and what your risks are. It does not offer the autofill feature to increase security and it provides a two-factor authentication manager.
LastPass| One of the most popular and well-known password managers, it works with various platforms. Not only that, but users can access a lot of the features LastPass has to offer for FREE! LastPass charges only $24 per year and allows you to store your sensitive data and access them through browser extensions or applications. Users are able to decide how they want their password manager to behave by choosing to opt in or out of features such as autofill. This company has had some data breaches, but it has been able to recover.
Although password managers are basically necessary these days, there are other precautions you can take to keep your information safe. Always make sure you put passcodes on your portable devices and lock your computer screens.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
