I’ve been strongly considering using a password manager because I have too many websites that I have to remember my username and password for. In theory, a password manager sounds like a great idea, but the only problem I have is that I’m not too sure I want all of my information stored in one place.
After looking into password managers a little more, I started to think about how much easier it would make my life. Not having to remember a bunch of passwords sounds pretty good and the anxiety of having all of my information in one place was reduced when I found out my passwords were going to be encrypted.
Password Managers
Some of the password managers I looked into are…
Dashlane
Dashlane claims to be the world’s best password manager and secure digital wallet. Their website also states that your passwords will be encrypted with the world’s greatest technology.
LastPass
LastPass claims to store your passwords and notes safely in a vault. Their site states that their service is easy to use and that you can organize everything the way you like it.
RoboForm
RoboForm, very similar to Dashland and LestPass, but the one difference I noticed is that they’ve been in business for 15 years. There’s definitely something to be said about longevity.
Who to Choose?
After looking into Dashlane, LastPass, RoboForm and a few others, I discovered that they are all very similar. I can’t honestly tell you that one is that much better than the other; it’s all about your personal preference.
Even though I’m more than likely going to choose one of these services for myself, I can totally understand why someone would choose not to use a password manager at all. Even though your passwords are going to be encrypted, it’s still a little scary to think that someone could have access to all of your information if they are able to figure out your master password.
Other Options
For those of you that are opting not to use a password manager there are other options. There are plenty of people that wouldn’t trust anyone or any system with all of their information. The best thing for them is to do everything manually.
That may sound scary as well but security experts recommend that anyone who’s going to go this route use two notebooks to store their usernames and passwords. For example, in one notebook write down the URL, username or ID and a reference number, in a second notebook, write down your password and any other pertinent information associated with the appropriate reference number. The notebooks should be stored in safe locations totally separate from each other.
Conclusion
A password manager may sound enticing to some people and a little scary to others, so whether you choose the virtual route or the manual route just remember the password itself is the most important thing. Make sure that your use passwords are unique. Use numbers, letters and symbols and please don’t associate it with things that hackers can associate with you like the name of your kids, birthdays, and so on.