Following our article on the 25 worst passwords of 2016, today we tackle password management. It can be difficult to find new ones and remember them each time you register on a site or on your computer. Too many people do not take the security of their accounts seriously and repeat the same password on each site, a godsend for hackers who only have to repeat it themselves once they find it. So how do you manage your passwords when your name is not Rain Man? Several simple tips are available to you for greater security.
A strong password
It is important to remember a few small security rules. More and more sites explicitly ask us to choose a password of more than 8 letters with a capital letter, a lowercase letter and a number while indicating the level of security. This initiative helps to educate Internet users and keep them safe but turns out to be smoke and mirrors. Indeed, a CNIL recommendation published last January considers that a valid password must be at least 12 characters long and include uppercase, lowercase, numbers and random special characters. In addition, it is strongly recommended to use a different password each time you register and to change it regularly.
Use a password manager
A password manager allows you to store your passwords securely. Suitable for individuals and professionals, this software will centralize all your passwords, encrypt them and make them accessible using a single password. If hackers find a breach in the manager's security, your data will automatically become unusable. In order to make the software effective, you must remember to disable the automatic saving of Passwords of your browser. Among the recommended managers by the 1&1 digital guide, there are free tools like Keepass or Password Safe with integrated password generator. This can be very practical if you lack the time and inspiration to create your own codes.
Two-step authentication
Two-step authentication is perhaps one of the most effective weapons against hacking since it integrates humans into the equation. All you have to do is type your username and password as usual each time you log in. But before you can access the site, you will receive a code by SMS or voice message on your smartphone that you will have to note down and give. So, unless your phone is stolen, this method places a human intermediary before logging in to a sensitive site. This type of authentication is starting to become more widespread among banks and Paypal, as well as among big names like Google, Apple, Dropbox and Facebook. However, it is up to you to activate this function by going to the "options" or "security settings" tabs. Of course, this additional security is not infallible but it has the merit of considerably complicating the task of web pirates.
