It’s Time for You to Use a Password Manager

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If you are like me, you have several online accounts, each with a user name and password. Though it is tempting to use one password for every account, this can be troublesome as it is a huge security risk. So, what is your only option? To use a password manager.

2DAccording to a recently concluded survey conducted by uSamp and sponsored by Siber Systems, creators of the RoboForm Password Manager:

  • 42% write them down
  • 23% reported always using the same password**
  • 25% reported using personal information
  • Only 8% use a password manager tool
  • Only 37% report using phrases with a combination…

The statistics clearly show that a lot of the data breaches we see today are a result of poor password management.

A Password Manager? What Is It?

At a basic level, a password manager is a service that allows people to secure all of their account log in information with one master password.

  • With a password manager, you won’t have to worry about password compromises, and you can easily have a different password for every account without the need to remember them.
  • If one password is compromised, such as a Facebook password, you can be sure that the scammer will not have access to other accounts as they don’t have the same password any longer.
  • It is easier than you might think to hack into an account, but with this software, your passwords are protected, unique and strong.

Choose the Right Password Manager for Your Needs

There are many services out there offering password management software, some are free, some are paid, but all of them offer better protection than you would get by choosing nothing.

  • Some password managers are device specific, so make sure that if you use Apple products, for example, that you ensure the manager will work with your hardware.
  • Most password managers work on multiple platforms.
  • There are online and local password managers, too. An online manager allows passwords to be stored online, but they may not be as secure or as reputable as a local password manager.
  • Fortunately, there are many great online password managers, such as RoboForm. It can be used on all major browsers and across most devices. I’ve been using RoboForm for at least 10 years. It works lovely.

Password Managers: Final Thoughts

  • Take some time to research before choosing your password manager. It must be a trustworthy company.
  • You will be more secure than ever before, but nothing is fool-proof, so you still need to keep your devices security software updated and make sure you have copyies of all your passwords in an encrypted Excel file.

Robert Siciliano is a personal privacy, security and identity theft expert to RoboForm discussing identity theft prevention. Disclosures.