Are you using a password keeper to keep passwords safe and secure from hackers? No? Lucky for you, we’ve got seven reminders why you should be using a password keeper for all of your passwords. Incorrect storage of your passwords can compromise one or all of your accounts if the document or device your passwords are stored on is stolen or lost.
Password keepers are often free, so you don’t have to worry about spending a small fortune on extra security. However, you can also pay for a premium version with extra features if you so choose.
Let’s dive into these seven reminders to use a password keeper!
1. Word Documents Make For Poor Password Storage
A lot of people store their passwords inside of a Word document or even a Google Doc, which is then synced to OneDrive or Google Drive. This seems pretty secure, right? The problem with storing passwords like this is that documents have permissions that you can set, and sometimes, the default is set to “anyone with the link”.
You can easily give someone access to a Word or Google document by accident, thus compromising your entire list of passwords. Or, if you get locked out of your Google or Microsoft account, you’ll lose access to all of your passwords as well! The bottom line is that storing passwords in a Word document is both unsafe and unwise; they’re much easier to get ahold of than you think.
2. Your Passwords Are Terrible (Sorry!)
Did you know that a large percentage of people use just one password for all of their online accounts? That means that the same password you use to access your bank account is also used for your Netflix, Facebook, and Amazon accounts. That just screams “hack me!” Most people have bad passwords as well; using personal information like names, dates, and other pertinent information. Imagine having all of your passwords set to your name and address. “Joanna1255” would be pretty easy to guess for anyone that could look up your public info.
3. Cybercrime Is On The Rise
Cybercrime has been on the rise for a number of years, and more and more sophisticated means of hacking into databases develop. While security measures can generally keep up, some hackers remain one step ahead; compromising even such powerful databases as Capital One, Target, and more.
Not only is cyber crime increasing, but so too are the costs of cybercrime. Compromising financial networks has a huge impact not only on customers but on the organization as a whole. Take, for example, the latest Capital One breach. The breach itself cost the organization hundreds of millions of dollars just in fines!
While we may not be responsible for Capital One’s security measures, securing our personal accounts is just as important to reducing cybercrime throughout the world.
4. Organization Can Make A Difference
How your passwords are organized can not only make them more secure, but easier for you to access and manage. Imagine having all of your passwords written down on a piece of paper that you lose every time you need it. Pretty frustrating, right?
A password manager can keep everything organized in one place, and some password managers integrate with your browser to display a login prompt for each site you visit.
5. Better Passwords
A great feature of many password keepers is the password generator. Using this tool, you can ditch your old method of combining personal information and a “1” at the end and start creating uncrackable passwords. Good passwords should be at least 13 characters long and contain at least one upper and lowercase letter, number, symbol, and irrelevant phrase.
A password keeper will help you generate better passwords and store them in a convenient off or online platform for easy access.
6. Cost-Efficiency
What price would you put on your personal information? $10 per month? $20 per month? $0 per month? Luckily for you, most password keepers are free to use, so you won’t end up spending money. However, you can always pay for more features and greater security with a premium or business plan. And why wouldn’t you?
Your passwords are essentially the keys to your personal information. Why not offer them greater protection? The more security you have around your passwords, the less of a chance there is that you’ll be hacked and have your information stolen.
The cost of a stolen identity or bank information is definitely greater than a simple monthly premium for a password keeper.
7. Alerts
Wouldn’t you like to be alerted when you’re creating a potentially low-quality password? A password keeper can do that for you! No more guessing games; you can create a password, and your password manager will give it a rating from poor to very good.
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