Are you tired of remembering passwords for different resources? There is a way not to strain your memory, but keep your accounts safe.
The US Federal Trade Commission analyzed what was going on with the stolen credentials. After stolen logins to Facebook, Google, Netflix and online banks are posted on a hacker forum. It takes, on average only nine minutes before the first attempt to log into your account. Because two out of three users use the same password for multiple services, a stolen key opens many doors at once.
How does a password manager work?
It is not necessary to memorize all passwords you use or write them down somewhere. For a long time, there have been password managers that act as a safe. Moreover, there are both offline tools and online ones.
Don’t worry about data security. These utilities use powerful AES encryption with a virtually unbreakable 256-bit key. Such a database can only be unlocked with the correct master password. Thus, the user does not need to remember the password for each of his accounts, but only the master password that opens the safe with all the other codes.
We give preference to online services (when the password database is stored on the developer’s servers). This is the most convenient solution for the user, since passwords are used not only on a stationary computer, but also on smartphones and tablets. In this case, to start synchronization, you need to enter your login and master password. All codes will be at your fingertips anytime, anywhere.
However, we suggest that storing the database locally might be a safer choice. After all, online services require you to trust the provider and be sure that the master password is not available to him, and there is no way to access the database in any other way.
Creating a master password!
Password manager security is entirely dependent on the master password. Therefore, you need to take the most responsible approach to its creation. For this, any service that generates a random long combination of characters can be suitable, as well as our instruction. But the first method has a significant drawback – the generated password is difficult to remember. Therefore, it is better to do everything yourself.
A simple guide to creating a strong master password:
- Use of suggestions. A funny line from the Netflix series or your grandmother’s saying will be an excellent basis for your password. You can also refer to your hobby. The phrase “I love Read Chip” might be a good idea.
- The use of uppercase and lowercase letters. Correct spelling is instead a flaw for a password. ILoveReadChip looks better from a security standpoint.
- Embedding numbers. CHIP is worth reading in 2020 as well. Thus we get “ILoveReadChip2020”.
- Embedding special characters. You can also add a couple of special characters: “ILove/WPDig$”.
- Double authentication. Be sure to enable two-factor authentication to protect access to the password manager further.
All good dispatchers have two-factor authentication integrated, that is, in addition to the master password, a second factor must be entered to access the storage. In this case, you can be sure that even if the master password along with the database falls into the wrong hands, access to it will still be closed.
Why online services are better?
In terms of ease of management, web services lead the way, and it’s not just about simplified synchronization. All modern password storage tools support biometric smartphone unlocking. This is much more convenient than entering long master passwords.
There is also an autofill credential function in the browser for entering the site. Unfortunately, this method does not work for Windows programs and applications on smartphones and tablets. The easiest way to do this is to copy and paste the data into the appropriate fields.
All solutions have a search function to locate data quickly. However, only industry leaders allow the integration of multiple databases, thanks to which the user can, for example, separate personal and work accounts. The “Favorites” function is also handy for displaying frequently used passwords – the data marked in this way is always at the top of the list.
Login to Windows without password
Password managers save all credentials. The Windows logon situation is more complicated because you don’t have access to the safe yet. Microsoft has integrated the Windows Hello function into the top ten, thanks to which user authentication can be carried out by scanning a fingerprint, recognizing a face, or an iris. Devices such as the Surface Book 2 already have the tech because a regular webcam isn’t enough.
The best password managers according to CHIP
Here you can discuss for a long time which of the password managers is better. Our German colleagues from chip.de tested several services and selected the top three.
LastPass
An easy-to-use manager with a free monthly Premium period. Paying is optional: all necessary functions are available in a free tariff plan. There is no Russification, but everything is quite simple so that you can figure it out with school English.
1Password
The only manager to receive the highest user experience rating. There is no free version – only a trial for a month. If you like it, you will need to pay from $ 3 per month for use.
DashLane
Not a bad program with a high level of security. Right, the free version will only work on one device. As usual, there is a monthly trial period, but the Premium plan is a bit expensive: $ 3.33 when billed annually.
All popular managers integrate into browsers and support work on mobile devices with iOS and Android. Speaking of browsers, their built-in dispatchers are just a repository that lacks important additional features like a password generator. We advise you to turn to special tools so as not to lose peace and sleep due to the horrific news of millions of stolen credentials.
