With password security now more important than ever before, it is crucial for companies and businesses, as well as individuals, to take more care and responsibility when choosing and storing passwords. A password manager is a recommended option, but what is this? And what are the benefits of using one? Well, here at Creative Network Solutions, we are Preston’s leading IT support and network services experts. From secure remote access services to business VoIP, we are the team you can count on. And this is our guide to everything you should know about the advantages and draw backs of password managers.
What is a password manager?
A password manager is a program designed to keep all of your passwords safe and stored securely so that you don’t need to remember the strong passwords every time you need them. These are the number one recommended option for storing passwords securely and there are a lot of benefits.
What are the advantages of using a password manager?
The advantages of using a password manager for your passwords are numerous and include:
- Advanced Encryption Standards- all password managers use advanced encryption to keep your data safe and secure. This is 256 bit encryption and is considered to be uncrackable. As a result, even if your password manager account was hacked, the passwords themselves would still be inaccessible.
- Two-Factor Authentication- Two-Factor Authentication is a common practice now for apps and it is also used for access to most password managers too. What this means is that when logging in you will be provided with a code to enter, or you will even be able to use fingerprint recognition, providing an additional line of defense. If a hacker manages to figure out your password, they still couldn’t use it to access your account.
- Much safer than alternatives– with so many 16 digit passwords to remember, the alternative to using a password manger is essentially to remember them all, write them down, or to reuse the same password. All of these options are incredibly insecure and could put your data or your company at risk.
What are the potential draw backs?
There are a number of potential draw backs to using a password manager, and these include:
- Storing everything in one place- a password manager keeps all of your passwords stored safely in one place and this can actually increase the vulnerability of your passwords. As a result, password managers reduce the likelihood of you being hacked but increase the potential damage if you are hacked, because a cyber criminal will then have access to everything.
- Accounts can be easy to access- on your personal device it can be very tempting to stay logged into the password manager for ease of access. However, this means that if your device is lost o stolen, instant access to all of your accounts can be possible.
For more information or advice about your network security, systems, or cloud solutions, why not ask the experts today, here at Creative Network Solutions.