These days it seems every website you visit or app that you use requires you to set up an account in order to use their service. For convenience you might sign in with a Facebook or Google account. Alternatively, you might use an email to set up an account separate from Facebook or Google (which I recommend you do), but then you might choose a password that you might use for another account. These passwords are usually something easy to remember which means they’re not that long and probably don’t contain many special characters (but please avoid passwords like these). However, using the same passwords across many different accounts can be very dangerous for your online presence.
In recent years there have been news stories about hackers getting into the databases of many large companies and exfiltrating large amounts of customer information. If you were a customer to any of those companies then it means your information could have been leaked. In that scenario, that password, which was used for multiple accounts, is now compromised and failure to act fast enough could have terrible consequences.
Nowadays, most popular web browsers (i.e. Chrome, Firefox, Safari) are storing passwords for you as you create your internet accounts. This method is definitely convenient and allows for the creation of strong passwords without having to memorize them. Yet, browsers are a popular attack vector for hackers, making them vulnerable to exploitation. Also, browsers may store passwords in plaintext, that are within reach for anyone with access to your computer.
This is where password managers come in. They provide secure, encrypted databases for all your passwords and they are only accessed by inputting a single, strong password. Granted this master password needs to be extremely secure to avoid possible password cracking but remember the key to making a password safer is to make them very long. (See how long it would take to crack your passwords here).
Right now password managers are becoming more and more common and most are free to use, like LastPass and 1Password. I personally use LastPass and have it on my mobile devices as well as my desktop. I started using it is because my professor for the computer security course uses it himself. I find it also plays nice with Apple products, especially with mobile devices because they offer a fluid experience. Although I have my moments with the desktop version, it’s still very convenient and secure on desktop platforms.
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Regardless of which manager you choose, you are going to improve the way you store and remember your passwords. After account creation most managers automatically ask to save the information in your password locker. You can also use the manager to generate incredibly tough passwords during account creation. This allows you have a secure password and not worry about remembering it. With regards to LastPass, you can save more than just passwords. For example, you can save secure notes for things like debit card PINs, credit card accounts, or even personal information.
Password managers were made to secure and simplify your life as you browse the web and generally do not have a downside. So take a look through your App Store or GooglePlay Store and download one that fits your lifestyle.