Do you really need a password manager ? If so, which ones are the best? We'll try to answer these and other related questions clearly and directly. Because what works for one person doesn't always work for everyone.
Password manager, what are they?
Password managers are applications that can store and organize all your access keys for different services. To make things easier, these keys are securely stored in what's known as a vault and protected with encryption. You'll use a unique key to log in.
As you can probably imagine, instead of having to learn multiple passwords, you'll only have to worry about memorizing one. However, this password for your password manager's vault must still adhere to basic security measures to ensure that no one can easily guess it. If they do, you'll have a major problem, because they'll gain access to all your passwords, including those for your bank account, email, online stores, and so on.
Therefore, knowing this, the next question is whether they are truly necessary or not . Let's be honest, they aren't. Few applications are truly indispensable, but it's true that password managers are highly recommended. However, it all depends on the type of user you are and the number of passwords you need to remember.
Password manager: yes or no?
As we mentioned, a password manager offers numerous advantages. The first and most important is the ability to reduce everything to remembering a single password . From there, depending on the features and options, you can access important data that you want to keep secure and encrypted, such as bank passwords, app serial numbers, usernames and passwords for online services, and so on. Some of these managers even allow you to add secure notes.
However, not everyone needs a password manager. You're probably wondering how I can say that. It's simple: the key is what kind of user you are and what your actual needs are. Not everyone needs to remember the login credentials for hundreds of services.
Many users have enough remembering the passwords to access their bank to operate online, email account and some social platform. These, without the need for password managers, can have secure passwords using simple rules and tricks, or take advantage of tools available in your operating system or applications of daily use.
For example, if you use macOS, you have Keychain . This integrates with many applications, including Safari, and allows you to generate strong passwords and store them so you don't have to remember them. When you need to use them, you simply enter your system password and you're good to go. If you don't use a Mac but do use Chrome as your browser, it also includes a service for securely storing your passwords.
Even so, there are simple rules and tips that can help you generate and remember strong passwords . But first, here's what you should already know and what you shouldn't do when creating a new password:
- Do not use correlative numbers such as 123456 or generic words
- No use of personal information and easy to find out
- Using numbers as vowels, this is no longer effective h4c3 y4 4ñ0s.
- None of our username in the password
- Do not share or repeat them between key services
Ok, so how do we create a strong, easy-to-remember password? There are different methods. To start with, you have the possibility of using a phrase that you know you will never forget and choosing the first letters of each word to generate the password. To give you more security, you can toggle between upper and lower case.
How to go broke with photography and video in two acts
caclfyeveda
Adding symbols at any point further increases complexity and security against brute-force attacks. Finally, if you want to make it easier to remember passwords for certain services, you could add some kind of identifier. For example, FB for Facebook, or something else that reminds you of it, like ZUCK. This way, you'll hardly ever have to recover your Facebook password.
As you can see, there are many options to create strong passwords and easily remember them. It is a matter of finding a pattern or method that is easy for you to use in your day to day. As long as, as we said, you are not one of those users who need to remember passwords and access users to hundreds or thousands of Internet services. In the case of being so, a manager makes it much easier for you. So here are the best options.
The best password managers
There are many password managers, but this does not try to list each and every one. So we tell you what are right now, in the middle of 2020, the most attractive.
1Password
It's a true classic and one of the most authoritative password management applications. With versions for various platforms and an online service, its value is undeniable. Furthermore, they recently announced they would be focusing their efforts on providing even more professional solutions, so individual users will benefit from even greater levels of security. The only "downside" is that it's a subscription service. But security comes at a price, doesn't it?
LastPass
Very similar to the previous one, LastPass is a great password manager and can also be used to store other sensitive data you want to keep safe. It also offers a secure password generator, browser extensions, and apps for iOS and Android. There's a paid version with premium features, but the free version provides more than enough options for most users who, while not needing advanced features, are concerned about their security and the security of their passwords.
KeePass
KeePass is a completely free, open-source password manager . As an open-source project, there aren't any specific apps; instead, you can use different clients to take full advantage of its capabilities. In the downloads section , you can choose the one that best suits your device or computer's operating system. However, it might be best to start directly with KeeWeb.
Dashlane
For advanced users, Dashlane is interesting because it offers very comprehensive advanced options. You can store data such as your bank cards, encrypted notes, and other items. Furthermore, when you need to use this data on certain connections or at certain times, it offers a connection through its own VPN.
As a password manager, it's very good, and if you don't need to store a large number of passwords, the free version offers up to 50. If that's not enough, there's a paid version.