Don’t take a pass on security
KEEPING ON TOP OF YOUR PASSWORDS IS A JOB TOO IMPORTANT TO PUT OFF
THERE’S a ‘day’ for everything these days, isn’t there?
You’ll be sad to know, for example, that you’ve just missed World Penguin Day (April 25). Happily, you’ve still got time to prepare for International Hummus Day (May 13).
One ‘day’ you should certainly stick on your calendar occurs each year on the first Thursday in May – World Password Day.
It should be a day to have a little think about how you log in to sites and services across the internet and on your devices… and whether you are doing it safely.
Last year password manager service LastPass did a little survey across the UK into online security, and the results were, perhaps unsurprisingly, alarming.
The survey found that even though 91% of people know using the same password for all their logins is a security risk, 66% of people still do it.
And they do it, it seems, because they’re afraid they’ll forget their passwords and they don’t think the data secured by their passwords is of any value to anyone else.
Your data is valuable to hackers whether you think it is or not – even if they sell your data for just a few pounds, the massive amount of data they can collect adds up to a very lucrative use of their time.
Luckily, there is help at hand – using a password manager service allows you to use a different strong password for all your log-ins without having to remember them.
Here are three of the best you might like to try – there’s not much to choose between them, but free trials mean you can try them all to see which fits your needs the best.
All are multi-platform and hide all your passwords behind a single master password that is stored nowhere but in your brain.
■ DASHLANE They say: Dashlane is more than just a password manager. It fills all your passwords, payments, and personal details wherever you need them, across the web, on any device.
We say: There are more than 14 million users of Dashlane across the globe, and satisfied customers means the service must be good. Dashlane also offers access to VPN connections to help secure your data when using public WiFi.
Cost: From £1.99/month for Essentials including sync across two devices.
■ 1PASSWORD They say: Sign in to websites and apps with just a few taps, and use the password generator to change your passwords and make them stronger.
We say: 1Password is a longstanding service which distinguishes itself from the others with design aesthetics that make it as nice to look at as it is to use. It also offers a great value family subscription which is only available via the 1Password website, not the app – charged in US dollars that currently works out at around £43/ year for five linked accounts.
Cost: £3.49/month – introductory offer £1.79/month for six months.
■ LASTPASS They say: As you visit apps and sites, LastPass autofills your login credentials. All you have to do is remember your LastPass master password.
We say: LastPass’s premium service offers sync across all devices and some enhanced security features and encryption of data, but their free tier is perhaps one of the best on offer.
Cost: £33.99/year.