We all know that we should be creating strong, unique passwords for every account we use. We also know people use the same password repeatedly for ease of use.
Did you know that this can open the floodgates to a world of problems should your password be compromised?
If you are looking for a way to simply and securely store your passwords then Good News!
What is a Password Manager?
A password manager is a software application that helps you store and manage online credentials. They also generate complex and unique passwords so you don’t have to.
Usually, these passwords are stored in an encrypted database (think of it like a virtual vault) and locked behind a single master password
Why should you use a Password Manager?
There are many reasons to use a password manage
1. Increase in Security
Using a password manager to create and manage passwords increases your security significantly. This is because the passwords are random and unique for you as well as each website requiring login details.
So not only is the password one of a kind it is also not being used repetitively reducing the risk of multiple account hacks.
2. Easy to set up and use
Password managers are designed to be easy to use.
Which one you choose will vary in functionality so it is definitely worth spending a little time to work out which one suits your business needs the most.
3. Frees up time and reduces stress
Saving you time and stress, by: no more having to remember each password or trying to locate that notebook you wrote them in.
Imagine trying to remember every single password you have and specifically which special key out of “! £ and &” you used for each to make them stronger.
Password managers will make managing passwords infinitely easier as you will only need to remember the main master password for your vault.
4. Worth the low cost even free
There are so many different password managers to choose from. They vary in price and vary in levels of security, naturally the higher the security the higher the price, however, there are some free password managers out there that help and provide security.
Browser Password Managers
As an alternative to downloading an application you might choose to use a browser password manager.
When logging into online accounts most web browsers will offer to save them for you. They will create a unique, strong passwords and the next time to log into that account the details will automatically populate for you.
These are safe to use if you are using your own personal computer and you have taken good personal device security
Protecting Your Password Manager
We all know that using one password for all accounts is a big security flaw. Using a password manager mitigates this as each account now has unique, strong passwords. However, you need to protect ‘the vault.’
It is recommended that you turn on two-factor authentication on the password manager account. Even if a cyber-criminal knows the ‘master’ password, they still will not be able to access your password manager account.
Choose a strong ‘master’ password to control access to your password manager account (for example by using three random words).
Ensure you install updates for your password manager app as soon as you are prompted.
Password Managers in the UK
Sourced from CyberNews and published in February 2022 please see below a list of the top 10 password managers on the market in the UK
NordPass
Keeper
RoboForm
Dashlane
1Password
Lastpass
Enpass
Remembear
Zohovault
Passbolt
Contact us at www.norfolkcs.co.uk or 01953 857980 for a free audit and friendly discussion on how we can help.