The reality of the Internet age we live in is that life revolves around passwords. From checking your e-mail to logging into social media sites, to even ordering a pizza, we can’t do anything anymore without a password. It would be one thing if you were only required to create a password once and never have to think about it again. But, increasingly, passwords are required to be changed after a given period of time, and the passwords themselves are becoming increasingly more complex. Most of us have no possible way of remembering our passwords, and which go with which website. So, what are our options? Let’s take a look.
I can offer you one free and very “low tech” option right off the bat: the notebook. Grab a pen and a notebook and write down the website name and your log in information. The only way it can be hacked is if someone steals your notebook! If you’re looking for something a little more advanced and don’t share your computer with anyone, you can always include your login information when you “Bookmark” or “Favorite” a web page. Have you noticed that when you add a favorite it allows you to give the link a name? Type (for instance) amazon.com pw ilovecoffee and you won’t need to remember your Amazon password. If you REALLY love coffee you probably won’t have to remember since that’s always fresh in your mind, but you get the idea. Here’s another idea: create a word document and type all of your login information inside the document. Give the document a boring name or a type of recipe that no one would be interested in, and save it to your computer. Nobody would be apt to open that document and steal your trusted passwords!
The latest and greatest way to store your login information is with a password manager. There are many different types out there with many different options. The best versions offer the ability to either support one device locally (no part of the program is online), or the other extreme of syncing passwords across all of your devices. Year after year, the highest rated password manager is LastPass. It’s free to download, but to use all of it’s features and the mobile app, it’ll cost $12 per year. LastPass stores your passwords, allows you to edit saved passwords and suggest ways to make them stronger, or change a password automatically if one becomes compromised. To learn more about LastPass, click here. Other highly regarded password managers are Dashlane, KeePass, and 1Password. All are free to try, and offer security features that make them a very attractive option.
Passwords are very important. They can also be a hassle. With these alternatives for creating your own password vault, your life online will be a little less daunting.