The majority of websites we access today require a login, which includes a username and password. Be honest with yourself – do you use the same password again and again, because it’s all you think you’re capable of remembering? Often, it’ll be something like a child or pet name, easy to remember because it’s simple right?
51% of people use the same passwords for both work and personal accounts.
It’s not just you. But that doesn’t make it okay. In fact, it’s incredibly dangerous.
What will happen if I use the same password for everything?
Using the same password repeatedly makes it incredibly easy for hackers to break into your accounts and steal personal information if they get hold of your password. How many different accounts use this same password? Think about how much they could access, emails, e-commerce sites, online banking, social media etc.
How do cyber criminals steal my passwords?
Cyber criminals break into a website, steal users email addresses and passwords from it, and try to log in to other sites using the email/password pairs they stole. The attacks work because many people re-use the same password on multiple websites.
A way to generate and contain secure passwords safely is via a password manager.
What is a password manager?
A password manager assists in generating and retrieving complex passwords (so you don’t have to remember them), storing them in an encrypted database and automatically filling login details on-demand, when you need them.
Why should you use a password manager?
Having a password manager will save you a lot of time and hassle, providing you with many benefits throughout your working day. Here is why it will help you:
Generate secure passwords
One of the hardest things to do when making passwords for accounts is coming up with ones that are not only secure but different. This can take a lot of time and is incredibly difficult to remember. Also, it’s not safe to have a copy of all secure passwords saved in a document to help recall them. A password manager will randomly generate strong secure passwords and store them.
Stores them safely
Once the password has been generated, it will be kept in a data vault where it is encrypted and safe from criminals but ready for you to use whenever. You’ll never have to click the forgotten password button again.
Easy login
So, when you go to log in, the password will automatically generate for you, so you don’t have to type it in yourself. This will save you a lot of time and means you can access data quickly and efficiently. What many people don’t realise is that there are password manager apps for smartphones, so you can still access work accounts on your phone and even save personal logins too.
What should you do if you use the same passwords for everything?
Going in and changing all passwords is the best and safest thing you can do for the security of your account. Especially, for your business, but you should consider doing this for personal accounts too.
Sure, it’s time-consuming. The question you want to ask yourself is this: how much time is it worth it to spend to keep your accounts and data safe? The time and monetary cost of a breach is almost always much more. Just imagine if a hacker gained access to your online banking, and how devastating that could be.
How can you make sure your passwords are secure enough?
Check out another blog we have written listing the different ways to make sure your passwords are secure enough – click here to read more.
So, once you have your secure passwords you may be wondering how you can remember them all. Something that will save you all this trouble is a Password Manager.
As an IT service provider, we feel very strongly about cyber security and keeping your business safe from criminals. So, we would be happy to give you some advice and even supply you with a password manager that works perfectly for your business.
Discover the 5 reasons why you should use a Password Manager in our guide, click the button below.
If a password manager is something your business would be interested in using, contact us today. Call 01273 806511 or email hello@ingeniotech.co.uk.