Use password management software. If you are reading this email on a device of any kind, you are certainly aware of all the challenges around managing your passwords. Every site you use has different password criteria. Some demand symbols, some demand capital letters. Some have to be a certain length. Experts say you need long, random, and varied passwords that are unique for every site that you visit. This is particularly important for financial sites since stolen financial information can have serious consequences.
Yet the human brain can’t remember hundreds of unique username and password combinations. If you already use password management software, well done. If you’re still using post-it notes or re-using the same password in multiple sites, it’s time to bite the bullet and get some software that will do this for you. We use LastPass Free edition and really like it. But there are other great password managers out there, either for free or a small annual fee. All of them work across platforms and devices so you can access your passwords from your phone, desktop, laptop, and tablet and you only have to remember one master password. It takes a bit it time to set up but it’s worth the investment for the increased security.
