Your passwords protect sensitive information. The last thing you want to happen is for them to be stolen and your various accounts hacked into. The best way to prevent this is by using long and complex passwords that include numbers and special characters. These passwords are harder for cybercriminals to guess, but they are also harder for you to remember. Luckily there is a simple way to secure passwords and save you from having to keep track of them all: use a password manager. These programs keep passwords in a safe place that only you can access, ensuring your information is doubly protected.
A Safe Place to Store Passwords
A password manager is a great way to secure passwords because of the multiple security measures in place. In fact, these programs help you protect your passwords from the moment you create them. Many password managers have a password generator feature built in which creates unique passwords for each of your online accounts and stores them so you don’t have to struggle to remember them.
What makes storing your passwords in a password manager more secure than using a word document or piece of paper? For one thing, you need a master password to get into the digital vault. However, if a hacker did manage to break into your account, they would be met with unreadable data. This is because password managers encrypt your information so that only people with the encryption key can read the data. As a result, cybercriminals will have a much harder time deciphering your passwords and breaking into your accounts.
What You Can Do to Improve Security
While password managers are effective, there are still steps you can take to further secure passwords. Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for vulnerabilities in your defenses so it’s important to stay one step ahead of them with these simple tactics:
Use a Strong Master Password
According to GoodFirms, 30% of people have experienced a security breach because of a weak password. Ideally, all your passwords should be at least 12 characters and include both numbers and special characters. At the very least your master password needs to be strong to properly secure your other passwords. Making your password difficult to guess lessens the chance a cybercriminal will be able to hack it and steal your information. Not to mention that with a master password, you only need to remember one of these complex passwords to access the rest.
Enable Multi-factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become a must to combat the ever-growing threat from cybercriminals. This identity verification method requires you to use another form of technology to confirm that it is really you trying to login to your account.
Available in most password managers, you provide another way to be contacted when you set up your account, like through SMS, email, phone call, or an app. An app is going to be the most protected form of contact as the others can be more easily hacked into. Now if hackers try to log in, the verification message will go to you directly. This helps secure passwords by blocking cybercriminals who have guessed your master password and alerting you that there has been an unknown login attempt.
Back Up Your Password Manager Vault
Just as you should regularly backup your important data you should also backup your passwords. This ensures you still have access to all your account credentials in the event of a disaster where the original information is lost. Most password managers already have a backup feature in place to secure passwords even more. They will keep your passwords safe and encrypted in different data centers across the country, so your information stays safe even if one location is compromised.
Backing up your passwords on your own won’t be as secure as your password manager’s method, but it could still help protect your information. Remember to back up your passwords on a regular basis and use the 3-2-1 backup strategy to ensure at least one backup is always safe. Create three copies of your backed up passwords and keep them on at least two different storage mediums with at least one copy stored offsite. This way no matter what happens, chances are your passwords will be safe and sound somewhere.
LastPass Can Help
There are a wide range of password managers that can help secure passwords. At Strategy IT, we use and recommend LastPass. In addition to the security measures listed above, this password manager also makes logging into your various accounts easy. LastPass remembers your credentials and automatically fills them in when you visit that specific account. This password manager can also protect your password across multiple devices. All you have to do is install the LastPass browser extension on any device and it will remember your passwords on all of them.
LastPass can also help you in the event your passwords are stolen. This password manager regularly scans the dark web for your passwords and alerts you immediately if your data has been compromised. Now you can act fast and change your passwords and recover your data before this becomes a serious disaster. If you need help determining if LastPass is the right option for your business, contact us today.
Protect All Your Passwords with Strategy IT
Knowing how to properly secure passwords is a must now that cyberthreats are on the rise. Weak passwords and improper storage of this information can lead to severe data breaches and ruin your business’ operations and reputation. This is where password managers come in. These programs protect your passwords and help you create strong ones that cybercriminals will have a harder time deciphering. Learn how to enhance not just your password protection but all your cybersecurity efforts with our free e-courses. Sign up for our cybersecurity e-course to get started protecting your data and passwords today.
