Password auditing features – Good password managers can check for duplicate, old, or weak passwords for you.The feature should be smart enough to recognize when you’re creating a new login, and offer to generate the password for you. Look for the ability to specify length, and how many of each type of character (number, upper- and lower-case letters, special characters) you want in your generated passwords. Random password generator – This feature allows you to generate truly random passwords for your accounts.Ability to store more than just passwords – Some password managers can store other types of information, like credit card information, software license keys, WiFi passwords, answers to security questions for website logins, scanned images of passports, etc.Import/Export of passwords – If you ever switch to a different password manager, you will need the ability to move the contents of your password vault.Good password managers can accommodate both approaches, and will allow you to configure the storage options you need. Other people value the convenience of having their passwords available across multiple devices, which would require cloud syncing and/or storage. Method, location, and backup of password vault storage – Is the vault stored on the local device (laptop, desktop computer) or in the cloud? What backup options are available? Is the encryption algorithm used to secure the password vault strong enough? Can you handle the risk if you store the passwords locally and the device gets corrupted? Some people are wary of storing their passwords “in the cloud,” and if that is the case, then a password manager that stores the vault locally would be the best choice.You should investigate what happens to your passwords and how to export them if you stop paying (or get a new device). The free versions will come with limited features – the missing features may be ones that you really should use, so a paid version will likely be a more secure choice. Many password manager software vendors offer free versions of their applications as well. Price – Some password managers are one-time purchases, while others are based on a subscription billing model. ![]() How do you choose a password manager that is right for you? Here are some factors and features to consider when choosing a password manager: ![]() ![]() There is some risk in storing “all the keys to the castle” in one location, but overall, there is a net benefit when you use a password manager configured securely, and as it’s intended. The benefit of using such an application is that each website and account can have a unique, truly random, long password, and you don’t have to remember it – the password manager can remember them for you, and even help you avoid typing your passwords into faked or insecure websites. The vault is encrypted, so your passwords are never stored in clear-text anywhere. A password manager is an application that can generate, store and manage all of your account credentials (usernames and passwords) and their associated login portals (websites, URLs) in a secure, central location (“vault”). Some of the challenges with passwords can be addressed with the use of a password manager. Passwords are the most commonly used mechanism for protecting all kinds of information and services, but, alas, there are so many to remember! Unfortunately, hackers are aware of all the tricks we use to generate and remember passwords – all too often, they are successful at getting into our accounts via our weak passwords. Has anything else related to technology ever given us so many headaches? Probably not.
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