The importance of the password is a universally accepted truth. But for most of us, it is difficult to continuously adhere to proper password practices. Indeed, many would either set their passwords to dangerous default ones like “12345678” or ”password” or set the same password across multiple logins.
While security experts would frown at such practices, the thought of having to remember different passwords for different websites and apps overwhelms many users. So how can users be able to keep track of these different passwords in a secure manner?
This is where password managers come in.
Password managers are apps that generate new, random passwords for all sites and apps. The passwords they generate are highly secure, utilizing a combination of characters that cannot be easily guessed by hackers. Most importantly, these password managers store these credentials in a secure virtual vault that is difficult to hack for outsiders but easily accessible to its users. So whenever the user attempts to access an app or website, the password manager, upon verification of the user’s identity, will automatically generate their credentials for that app or website.
Most password managers can also fill in personal information such as name, address, and credit card number on web forms to save time filling out information during account creation or checkout when making a purchase online. Some password managers can also store important documents or other credentials like safe codes and medical information in their vaults as well.
While password managers can effectively protect all your password data across apps and websites, users still need to secure access to the password manager as these apps are often targeted by hackers who are looking to access the information they contain, often for unlawful purposes.
Creating one strong master password for the password manager can help thwart these threats, especially if the master password follows the protocols in creating a secure password. However, hackers have also evolved in their skills and practices so having a master password alone may not suffice the time the next hacking attempt is made.
To ensure maximum security in accessing the password manager, having multi-factor authentication in place is highly recommended to be set up to ensure the identity and credentials of the user attempting to use the app. Multi-factor authentication would consist of a master password and another form authentication such as facial recognition, fingerprint, or SMS code among others.
The password manager is an all-encompassing platform that records and secures all password information. It has become a necessary tool that will help enrich and secure one’s digital life.