How to Manage Your Passwords

The internet, apps, website, everything and every place requires a password to login. Today each person has hundreds of logins where they need a passwords. Think about it, every app on your phone, your financial accounts, your emails, retailers, utilities and the list goes on. The prediction is that we will all need double the logins and passwords as we move forward.

Things to avoid when managing you password

Let’s put some rules in place, I’m sure you have heard these before. Don’t use simple passwords like “password” or "12345678. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Don’t use short passwords. How about them pesky special characters.

Google and Facebook have made it easy, or have they? Many sites let you login using your Google or Facebook account. At first this seems like the easy thing to do but frankly I think it should be avoided. What happens if you choose to change or cancel your facebook or Google accounts, or maybe they are compromised, a hacker would have access to all of your accounts and logins. Better to use a secure email account as your login. One that has a very strong password.

Don’t store your passwords on your computer in a document or note! If a hacker finds there way into your computer, they have access to everything in your life!

Best Practice for managing your passwords

• Use a different strong password for every account. Don’t ever reuse a password!
• Change to a random generated set of numbers and letters. Best to use a password manager for this (see below)
• It’s OK to reset you password, do it often if you need to just follow the link and make sure you email password is very protected.
• Make sure you have an emergency contact who knows how and where you passwords are stored.

Use a Password Manager

I few years back I’ve resorted to a password manager. Because I was going between a Mac and Windows computer, iPhone and iPad I wanted something that worked in all browsers as well as on my portable devices, so I chose LastPass, mainly because they have a free version that worked everywhere. They also have Chrome and Safari add ins that automatically pull in my passwords. Others you may consider are McAfee, Keeper or if you are in the Apple ecosystem and only use apple products, think about just using the Apple Password Manager.

You can use the password manager built into Chrome, the problem I have with that is isn’t not transportable and requires the browser.

Writing this post has motivated me to change all my passwords to really long phrases like the lyrics to songs sprinkled with special characters $#@… I’m not ready for the full on random ones yet, maybe next year.

Use a Notebook for Passwords

If your not tech savvy, use a password notebook that you keep in a very secure place in your house. I wouldn’t carry it around with you and I wouldn’t use a notebook if you have visitors to your house. This should be a last resort.

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