Data breaches are nothing new. Ever since the world started to rely on computers and machines more and more, reports of hacks and stolen identities have filled the news. But along with this rise in hacking, there has been an increase in how we protect ourselves and our data. We are often told to create unique passwords for each account, made up of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. But with the average user boasting 90 accounts, it can be hard to keep track of these individual passwords.
As a result of this, there has been a steep rise in the technology to help us manage our passwords in order to control our online profiles. Password management services have become one of the best ways to keep all our passwords safe – but without the need to memorize every single one. They offer the safety and security of strong passwords for all our accounts, but without the deep-sinking realization that we can’t remember the password to our email account, social media profile or personal banking. Thanks to password management services, all you need to do is remember the one master password in order to access all your information.
So which are the best?
LastPass - Free
Launched in 2010, LastPass is one of the best password management services in the world. The ingenious platform stores encrypted passwords in private accounts and ensures that you can access all your accounts and data at the touch of a few buttons.
The platform is standard with a web interface, but it also includes plugins and extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera, while it also boasts a number of apps for smartphones running the Android, iOS and Windows Phone operating systems.
RoboForm – Free trial then $19.95 for one year
Designed for businesses, RoboForm is available on Macs, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. However unlike most other password management services, it is a download, meaning nothing is stored on servers.
Aside from storing all your passwords automatically, it also boasts another incredible feature. And that is the random password generator. This helps users to create strong and unique passwords for every site – reducing the risk of hacking.
Dashlane – Free
Featured in a number of publications, there’s no wonder that Dashlane is one of the most used password management systems in the world.
Much like LastPass, Dashlane is hosted online, and allows users to access their passwords on Windows, Apple, Android and iOS, and across multiple devices. The passwords are encrypted with AES-256, which is the world’s leading standard, meaning the chances of the service itself being hacked are minimal.
Bomgar Vault – Pricing available upon request
Bomgar is much more than a simple password management service. The platform offers credential management, secure password storage, password randomization and rotation, and credential discovery, in order to provide a full service to users. But the ‘Vault’ part of the company is all focused on password management.
These are just a number of the password management services on offer, with many more available online. Each have their pros and cons and will suit each individual and business better than others, so it’s worth doing your research. However they all do have one thing in common; they offer an incredible solution to those struggling to remember all of their passwords and keep their documents, files and identities safe online.
Do you use a password management service?
