Cybersecurity: Getting Started With A Password Manager

Most people utilize weak passwords and tend to reuse them on various sites. How can a person possibly use unique, strong passwords on every website they use? Well, the answer is a password manager.

A password manager keeps your login info for all the sites you use, helping you to log into these websites automatically. Password managers encrypt your password database with one master password, which is the only one you need to keep in mind.

If you are unfamiliar with password managers, worry not. In this post, we will walk you through why using a password manager is important and how to get started. So, take a read!

Never Reuse Passwords

Reusing passwords is a huge problem since there are plenty of password leaks that happen every year, even on the most reliable sites. If, for instance, your password leaks, mischievous people can have your password, username, and email address combination for which they can use on some websites.

And if you reuse the same info on other websites, one website leak could give malicious individuals or hackers access to all of your accounts. When an individual acquires access to your login information, he or she could reset your password to access other sites, such as your PayPal account or online banking.

For this reason, you must use unique, strong passwords on all the websites you access. These passwords must be long, strong, and unpredictable. Adding symbols and numbers into your passwords is ideal. Of course, remembering these unique passwords can be impossible. That is why computer password managers are ideal as it generates random, secure passwords for you. Plus, they keep these passwords in mind so that you do not have to.

What It’s Like To Use A Password Manager

Password managers will, without a doubt, give you peace of mind, discharging brain power for doing high-yielding things instead of recalling a very long list of passwords. If you use a password manager and want to access a website, first, you’ll visit that site normally.

Rather than entering your password into the site, you log into the password manager using the master password. And it automatically fills the info into the website. Because of this, you don’t need to recall what username, email address, and password you utilized for the site, the password manager will do it for you.

Moreover, if you are making a new account, the password manager will provide random, unique passwords for you. Thus, you do not have to worry about it. You can configure it to automatically fill in info such as your password, email address, and username.

Best Password Managers

There are many password managers available in the market today. However, three options excel from the rest. These three options are solid, and which you choose will rely on what is more crucial to you:

  • This password manager is cloud-based with desktop applications, mobile applications, and extensions for all the operating systems and browsers you use. LastPass is a very powerful tool that offers two-factor authentication alternatives. Thus, you can make certain that nobody can hack into your password vault.
  • Dashlane is quite new in the market. However, what this password manager’s lack of reputation make-up for slick applications and great features for nearly all platforms, Android, iPad, iPhone, OS X, and Windows. Dashlane offers extensions for the most browser, automatic password changer, and a security dashboard that assess and examines your passwords.
  • There are a lot of people who are not okay with LastPass and prefer using KeePass. This password manager is a well-known desktop app for managing all your passwords. However, there are mobile applications and browser extensions, as well. KeePass keeps your login information on your computer, which is open-source. Thus, you can analyze the source code if you like. The drawback is that you need to sync your passwords on your devices manually.

Getting Started

First of all, you need to choose your master password. This password manages access to all of your password database. Therefore, you need to create a strong master password. After all, it is the only password you have to keep in mind.

Once you’ve installed a password manager, you might want to change your website passwords to strong ones. Dashlane has a built-in security dashboard to help you determine which passwords may require changing. On the other hand, LastPass identifies duplicate and weak passwords.

Takeaway

A password manager lets you keep all your login information securely. Also, it can store other kinds of data such as credit card numbers. All the data you keep in a password manager is secured and protected with your master password. Moreover, they can even aid you to fight against account phishing because they fill website account info based on the URL or web address.

Author’s Bio:
Tyler Pack
Tyler Pack is a real estate consultant and journalist, with a passion for smart home technology. He is keen on writing about home and property security, and cybersecurity.