With the increasing frequency of high-profile cyberattacks and data breaches, strong password security is essential to safeguarding your online identity. If your password has been exposed in a recent breach, this poses a significant risk.

A password should be at least eight characters long and include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special symbols. Each account should have a unique password, and these passwords need to be updated regularly. To effectively manage these complex passwords, using a password manager is advisable.

Getting Started

If you’re starting from scratch, some initial setup will be needed to get all your login credentials configured. Chances are you’ve already been using your browser’s built-in manager to remember your passwords. Most password managers will import those, delete them from your system, and turn the feature off.

If you’re already using a password manager and want to upgrade, you can choose a version that will import from your old manager and not force you to start over.

Considering an upgrade to your password management system? Here are some of the features to look for:

• Two-Factor Authentication

Most password managers can support Two-Factor Authentication, or 2FA. The most common form is a PIN sent to your phone, but biometrics such as fingerprint readers and facial recognition are becoming common.

• Quick Password Capture

Most password managers work with your browser to capture login credentials as you enter them, and then play them back each time you return to the site. A few go a step further and capture login credentials as you create accounts on new sites.

• Form Autofilling

Password managers can do more than just fill in your user IDs and passwords. They can also fill in forms with your personal information. Some can also store identification information from driver’s licenses and passports.

• Free vs. Affordable Security Features

There are dozens of password managers available. Many are free with limits, and some offer paid versions with handy extra features. Many of the free ones will only work on one device. If you want to sync passwords across all your devices, you’ll need to upgrade. Also, many free versions limit how many sites they’ll remember passwords for (typically up to no more than 10 to 15). As with anti-virus software, the extra features and relatively low price may justify spending some money on a good password manager.

• Security Checkup

Almost every password manager shows how strong your password is as you create it. Most can also generate strong random passwords for you. A few will even provide a security report listing all your passwords and their security strength, and will upgrade them on demand.

• Extra Features

The latest feature of password managers is called a “digital legacy.” This provides a way for you to designate a “password heir” in case anything happens to you and your next of kin need to access your accounts. Some password mangers allow storage of sensitive files in addition to your passwords. For a fee, you can have up to one terabyte of your files encrypted and stored.

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