Your password is killing you

Every year security reports include the same complaints – the passwords we are using are horrible and terribly ineffective. There’s no point in blaming anyone for this, the truth is, whether your passwords are simple and insecure, or so complex you can’t remember them, they’re a pain in the neck to deal with. There’s an answer, and it’s called a password manager.

I’ve (Jeff Mongelli) mentioned password managers so often in these reminders that people have begun asking for some input on choosing one. So here goes. There are several good ones. Some are easier to use than others. We’re going to mention a few of the more popular ones.

First on the list is what I consider to be the easiest to use, and very good at what it does. That’s LastPass –  #1 Password Manager & Vault App with Single-Sign-On & MFA Solutions | LastPass. Last pass often finds itself among the top two or three solutions in the space, and with good reason. It’s probably the easiest to use and is very feature-rich. We use it at Acentec due in part to its integration with LogMeIn, one of the support tools we use. One of its strengths is also working with third-party authenticators like yubico.com, something we have talked about previously. If you’re new to password managers and looking for a place to start, this is our top pick.

The second is RoboForm. I must confess I’ve been a Roboform user since the early days of the technology, back when they were the de-facto leader in the industry. While Roboform is not as easy to use as LastPass, and it doesn’t play well with third-party authenticators, it’s still a very good product. I’ve been on it so long I have literally hundreds of passwords in it. For that reason, I’m migrating over to LastPass for a fresh start. If you’re like me and have been using a PM for a long time, then you know exactly what I’m saying. Roboform’s strength is filling in forms. I never type my home address or other types of detail. As the name implies, Roboform is terrific at filling in forms for you.

The other products on our list are Keeper, Dashlane, and 1Password. Each of these applications is frequently listed as among the best. I really don’t believe you can go wrong with any of them. 

The key point here is it’s impossible to have secure passwords, unique for each site, without a password manager. Frankly, if you aren’t already using one, then you’re likely using the same password repeatedly, or you’ve given up and are in the “Password123” camp!

Any of these applications are far better than going it alone. LastPass is probably the easiest, so we recommend you download it and give it a free try. It beats the heck out none at all.

If you have questions about implementing a password manager either at the enterprise level or for your own like a fiefdom, we are happy to help, just give us a call.

Be safe and don’t fall for any fake Amazon Prime Day deals you may receive via email.

 

If you have any questions or if you are concerned about your organization’s cybersecurity, give us a call at (800) 970-0402. We’ll be happy to help.

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