How to Improve Your Password Management

Passwords play an important role in both our personal and work lives. The password has become the way to log into most online accounts, and now often even using multi-factor authentication and biometric authentication. However, the password persists as the method most used. Here’s a look at password management and some ways to improve its security. 

Never share passwords 

It is common practice for employees to share passwords with colleagues to access work accounts. Control is essential to maintaining security; therefore, it is vital never to share passwords.  

Don’t use the same password  

Most are guilty of reusing passwords on multiple accounts, whether we are at work or when using our personal devices. A recent ExpressVPN survey exploring how much time people wasted resetting their passwords found that US respondents spent a staggering 26 hours a year resetting their passwords. Many respondents admitted to reusing passwords when resetting a forgotten one. 

Rather than reusing the exact details, use a password manager, which will not only give you unique passwords but also save you from wasting a lot of time.  

Don’t write down passwords. 

A bad habit is writing down passwords on a piece of paper, which is risky, especially in a work environment, as anyone passing by could copy the password and use it to log into that account.  

Make passwords hard to hack. 

Password security is greatly enhanced by using hard-to-guess passwords. According to Reader’s Digest, one of the most popular passwords is 123456, which is incredibly easy for cybercriminals to guess. Also, create a password policy that encourages the use of more complex passwords.  

Change passwords  

If you think you have been phished or scammed somehow, change your password immediately and set mandatory password updates every few weeks or months. Commonly used software like Microsoft often mandates regular changes to login details anyway. 

Make password recovery questions hard 

Password recovery is often a target for cybercriminals. The methods used to recover passwords require users to enter details such as their mother’s maiden name. The problem is that fraudsters scouring internet forums and social media platforms can easily find this information. Make sure your password recovery is strong and has associated security mechanisms.  

Use a password manager 

To help improve your password management, you can use a password manager. A password manager is a software that enables you to store and organize your passwords in a secure list, making it easy to access them whenever you need to. Additionally, many password managers these days also come with two-factor authentication, so you can be sure that your passwords are safe and secure. 

A password manager can be compared to a digital safe that stores, secures, and presents a password when a user logs in, so they don’t have to remember the password. 

Passwords remain the first line of defense because they are easy to use and simple for developers to implement. But unfortunately, passwords have weak spots, and cyber criminals take full advantage of the password’s vulnerability. Developing good password management and using the right tools is essential.