Keep Track of Passwords

Time for a Password Management

Passwords are more prevalent than ever before. If you want to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you’ll need to know your PIN code. To log in to an email account, you will first need to type your password. Secure shopping sites and social media sites require use of passwords as well.

Many sites require that passwords include a combination of letters and numbers, and while passwords full of case changes and funny symbols may be difficult to crack, they also can be just as difficult to remember.

Managing the myriad passwords the average person must remember is no small feat. That’s why people routinely turn to familiar passwords. But passwords that are too similar could put men and women in a compromising position that makes them susceptible to consumer fraud and identity theft. Fortunately, consumers can employ many precautionary measures to keep their information out of the wrong hands.

Write them down

Writing passwords down can be risky if the information falls into the wrong hands. When storing passwords written down on paper, keep such information in a safe and secure place. A home safe or lockbox is safer than jotting passwords down on a pad stored on top of your desk.

Password keeper

When visiting a site that requires login information, many operating systems will ask if you want the password information to be remembered automatically in the system’s hard drive. If you routinely use one computer to access password-protected sites, having the passwords saved can be advantageous. But keep in mind that you will likely be prompted for your password on such devices if you attempt to login from another computer or mobile device. It is not the site that saves the password, but the computer you are using.

Password apps

A variety of password saving apps have sprung up to keep passwords safe and organized. Some are offered as free downloads, others require monthly or yearly subscription fees. These apps keep login information secure in one place. Many password apps are paired with security alert services, which will notify you if there is a suspected hack or breach of information. These alerts let you know if your password security has been compromised so that you can take fast action.

Technology has forced individuals to make all types of changes to their daily lives. As the world relies more and more on technology as a method of communicating and managing the tasks of everyday life, remembering passwords has become all the more important. EL146209