Using a Password Manager
/Password managers can help you create and store strong passwords that will give you an extra layer of internet security.
I have been thinking a lot about password security lately, probably because of all the recent stories about the scary new ways that hackers can steal your identity.
In general, my online habits are good. I create unique passwords for each website, and I never use auto-fill or store my financial data. While my passwords are not optimally complex, they are at least better than “password123.”
But the problem is that I’ve ended up with too many passwords to remember! I use an old-school address book to keep track of them, which has worked well for me, but I need to be home to access it. And when I’m not? I’ve either taken my password book in my carry-on luggage or else written passwords onto an index card and felt uncomfortably vulnerable.
Having just experienced an attempted fraudulent log-in to my email account while traveling, I decided that I want and need both stronger passwords and a better way to keep track of them. I had earlier dismissed the idea of using a password manager because of my security concerns over having a single point of failure, but I decided it was time to update my research. (To read a few articles for yourself, see here, here, and here.)
The result: I am now using LastPass, a cloud-based password manager, where I have stored the majority of my passwords. If I don’t remember a password, I just log in to my LastPass Vault and launch the website from there; LastPass automatically enters both my user name and password. I can use my existing passwords, or I can ask LastPass to auto-generate stronger (and, I might add, impossible to remember) passwords.
Because I am still leery about putting my sensitive information into the cloud, I haven’t included my email or financial account passwords into my LastPass Vault. Instead, for these accounts, I have created unique strong passwords based on phrases that only make sense to me, memorized them, written them down on a piece of paper that I stash away, and finally, for good measure, emailed myself password hints. (See here for hints on creating strong passwords.)
If you opt to try LastPass or any other password manager, be sure to customize the security settings, such as automatic time-out intervals, trusted machines, and emergency access. Most importantly, ensure that your LastPass log-in password is as strong as possible while still being one that you can easily remember, as there are no retrieval options.
Be safe out there!