It’s no secret much of our personal and business lives are conducted online. That reality means that every day, people visit a myriad of web sites for social media, business, banking, research and more. Because most web sites require some type of password log-in to access it, the number of passwords people have to remember can be staggering. And, while it would be so easy if we could use the same password for every account, that is simply not a best practice.For one, using the same password for every account makes the work of a cyber-hacker way too easy, according to an article in GQ magazine. Writing passwords down can be dangerous if prying eyes find them.
Fortunately, today’s technology offers an answer to this predicament: managed password programs. According to Craig Petronella, an IT Cybersecurity and Management Expert and owner of Petronella Technology Group, Inc., a managed password program is an ideal and inexpensive method for securing passwords.
According to Petronella, be certain the program you select always uses encryptions. In addition, whenever possible, use an encrypted keystroke program, he says. That is imperative whether a web site is accessed by just one person or several.
“Business licenses are valuable. Is it worth the cost? Yes, it’s worth the minimal cost!” he says.
As with anything, there are pros and cons of managed password programs. Petronella says benefits include:
· Increased password security
· Information contained on web sites accessed by encrypted passwords enjoys a higher level of protection from breach
· Users are more productive and organized as less time is wasted recalling or finding passwords or resetting them if forgotten
The cons? “Minimal,” says Petronella. If a master passphrase is compromised, all passwords can be at risk, which is why he always recommends pairing keystroke
encryption with password managers. If a master password is lost, all passwords are lost forever without the ability to recover.
According to Petronella, “If there are zero-day malware keyloggers on the device, the master passphrase can be stolen without the user’s knowledge, and there are no security programs available that stop zero-day keyloggers. Keystroke encryption is the only way to mitigate that particular threat. Keylogger malware is how Target, Home Depot and other major breaches have happened! If Equifax has just one of the patented layers we use, they would never have suffered a breach.”
In the market for master password encryption programs? A recent article in PC Magazine offers an in-depth look at the most popular offerings of 2018.
Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and writer. She chairs the Marketing Committee of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and tweets as @girlwithapen
