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Tech News
Keeping Track of Passwords
John Seymour, Lakeside Technical Solutions
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As our online lives continue to grow, it has become painfully clear that managing all of those passwords becomes a challenge. Given that each and every password we create is different and extremely complex (right?), it becomes increasingly more important to have a secure system of sorts for keeping track of them. That is, other than writing them down and keeping them in the drawer beside the computer. In this article I hope to give you some ideas and recommendations on keeping your passwords secure, up to date and easily accessible.
We know that all the major Internet browsers will save your passwords, which is very convenient being that you use your browser to access those accounts anyway. Your browser will automatically enter the account ID and password for you. Not a bad way to store your passwords but there is a risk. Those passwords are stored on your computer and are not encrypted so if someone should get their hands on your computer, they may also be able to access all of the passwords you saved there. I say ‘may’ because both Chrome and Edge browsers will ask you to enter your Windows password in order to see them.
If there is no Windows password on your computer, which is common, then anyone who gets access to your computer can easily see all the passwords saved in your browser with just a few clicks. I recommend that if you plan on managing your passwords with a browser, that you also have a strong Windows password on your computer. Note that the Firefox browser does not ask for a Windows password to view your stored passwords but does have an option to set up a Master password.
A better option for managing passwords is to use a tool designed for that purpose. There are several out there both free and paid that work well. A few of the top choices are the paid versions of Keeper, Dashlane and Lastpass. Lastpass, which is the tool I use personally, also has a free version which is perfect for anyone with just one device. The free version does not store your passwords in the cloud for use on all devices but works well and is perfectly secure for those who don’t care about that.
Password management software is not expensive, usually just a couple of dollars per month. If you opt for a paid password manager, you can expect many benefits including state of the art security, multiple device support (cloud) and full technical support. Other features include built in random password generation, automatic password changes and secure storage for credit card numbers and highly confidential notes.
If you would like to learn more about password management, feel free to get in touch.
Call John at 250-804-8740 for all your computer and home electronics problems and projects
Onsite service for your home or business in the North/South Shuswap, Chase and surrounding areas. New computers, parts and accessories also available Authorized reseller of Lenovo products including Laptops, Desktops and Tablets.
