Good digital hygiene requires us to change passwords regularly and avoid using the same one (or a variation of the same) for multiple accounts. In a perfect world, we would all adhere to this rule and use strong, unique passwords for every account.
Sadly, this is the real world. Most of us have dozens of passwords for our social media channels, email accounts, online bank and retail accounts, and many others. Keeping track of them involves more effort than most of us are willing to expend.
The future, says a recent report by Security Intelligence, is passwordless authentication. Microsoft has already implemented an authenticator app, Windows Hello, which sends verification codes through SMS text messages to access Microsoft applications and accounts.
In the meantime, we have a password problem. The report also notes that while digital users averaged about 100 different passwords in 2020, nearly 80 percent of users had the same password across all digital accounts or variations of the same password. Just over 20 percent said they used unique passwords for each account.
Recycled Passwords are Likely Compromised
Many of the passwords still in use have already been bought and resold by cybercriminals. One sobering but effective way to know for sure is to visit Have I Been Pwned? Just enter an email address or mobile phone number to find out if your credentials have been leaked in a data breach. Chances are they have.
A growing number of companies now offer password managers that make the process of remembering your many login credentials much easier. Instead of hundreds of passwords, you just need to remember one. NordPass, Keeper, LastPass, and 1Password are just a few of the many options available for a monthly or annual subscription fee.
Secure Storage and Password Protection
SecureData has driven innovation in hardware-encrypted storage and enterprise data security solutions for more than a decade. Now in conjunction with ClevX®, a global leader in information security technology, SecureData provides secure password management for free to users of SecureDrive DUO/BT and SecureUSB DUO/BT portable external storage devices.
Any purchase of a SecureDrive or SecureUSB device now comes with a free three-year subscription to MyPasswords™. This cloud-based password management service allows users to store and access an unlimited number of account credentials all in one place without the need for a master password.
While a user may store SecureDrive or SecureUSB PINs on MyPasswords, the service allows them to create a record for any type of device, program, or other item that requires a password, including work computers, email accounts, bank information, and more. They may simply create a nickname and enter its respective password. For any future changes, editing or deleting records is a quick and easy process.
MyPasswords accounts are accessed simply by entering your email address and following a secure link to your account. For added security, users can enable a two-step verification feature that requires the use of a six-digit security code sent via text message to a user’s mobile phone.
Password Management Has Never Been Easier
SecureData specializes in comprehensive data security solutions for consumers and business professionals. Our SecureDrive and SecureUSB devices are FIPS-validated and hardware-encrypted for the highest level of protection available in a portable storage device.
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