Password Manager August 09, 2021, 06:38:11 pm This is a bit off topic so I hope you will allow me to tie it to the recent discussion of credit card hacking while traveling - In Lazy Dazes of course. I believe we who travel are all more vulnerable to password hacking because of the wide variety of internet access points we use. Trying to improve my online security, I recently signed up with VPN protection from Malwarerbytes. I just discovered I have about 100 compromised (data leaks) online accounts, many of which are assigned the same compromised password. Thus, I'm considering a password manager, which may preclude me from having to change all those passwords.So...is this a good idea? Success stories? Best rated PMs? Chris
Re: Password Manager Reply #1 – August 09, 2021, 07:38:52 pm I use the free version of Bitwarden, an open-source PM. App available for Windows and Android, at least, and it stays updated across devices. Easy to use for all websites I frequent except those that require typing out on an online keypad, such as TreasuryDirect.Steve
Re: Password Manager Reply #2 – August 09, 2021, 08:54:57 pm Chris-A password manager program is the only way I can maintain unique and complex passwords without resorting to paper. I have been doing that for going on eight or ten years. The database has 188 entries today, of which about 100 to 120 are active.Prior to using a password manager, I tended to re-use passwords across multiple accounts. It didn't take too many "break-ins" of online retailers, and subsequent problems, for me to realize that was a poor practice.I use a product called "Password Safe," both the Windows 10 app and the iOS (iPhone/iPad) app. The latter goes by the name "PWSafe." I believe there is a version for Android, too. (That would satisfy those with Android phones or tablets). Mark H. 1 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #3 – August 09, 2021, 09:49:19 pm I don't do much with "cloudy" things, but Apple's iCloud Keychain has been working well for me for years. To enable it, launch System Preferences, go to Accounts, and choose iCloud. Scroll down to Keychain, and click the checkbox. 1 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #4 – August 09, 2021, 11:50:02 pm I use LastPass on my Windows PC, laptop, and Android phone. I have been very happy with its performance and features.Charles 1 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #5 – August 10, 2021, 12:00:27 am We use 1Password.com - very easy to use and inexpensive. A tech security person recommended it to me once. I also tried LastPass but it wasn’t as intuitive. Thanks,Sasha 1 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #6 – August 10, 2021, 12:32:26 am I’ve used KeePass for several years. I wanted a Password Manager that kept the database local and not on a cloud. I also wanted one that ran on any flavor of OS. KeePass runs on Windows (not sure about Mac) but there are apps for IOS, Android and Linux. The Windows version allows you to drag-and-drop your Username and Password from the KeePass app and into the appropriate login fields on your browser or app. This feature works with most login websites but not all. There are some websites that I still have to copy-paste the credentials but not many. They also have a stand-alone Windows version that I’ve installed on a USB thumb drive that I keep on my key ring. The stand-alone version will run on any Windows machine and not leave any trace when you pull the USB thumb drive. For my IPhone and IPad I use KeePass Touch. KeePass Touch uses the same database file as KeePass but it also has a face recognition or thumbprint sign-in to open the app. You use iTunes / File Sharing to copy the database file from/to your PC. It’s not perfect but it works well for me. I do have to manually copy the database file to the other devices when I make a change but that’s the price I pay to not keep things on a cloud.- JohnEdit: I forgot to mention that KeePass contains a password generator that may be used when creating new credentials. I use the generator often since I don’t need to remember passwords any more.
Re: Password Manager Reply #7 – August 10, 2021, 09:09:14 am I used 1Password for years, and it worked fine. But then they started asking me to sign up for a subscription, and in the meantime Apple's (free) iCloud Keychain had gotten to be just as good for my purposes, so I switched. But 1Password is still a good product if you don't mind paying for it. 1 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #8 – August 10, 2021, 09:40:36 am "I use a product called "Password Safe," both the Windows 10 app and the iOS (iPhone/iPad) app. The latter goes by the name "PWSafe." I believe there is a version for Android, too. (That would satisfy those with Android phones or tablets)."I have used the same product as Mark on my Windows computers for so long I can't remember, maybe close to twenty years. I started when I had to use airport and hotel WiFi while traveling on business. I wouldn't be without it. I have one online account I know the password to, the other thirty plus, I have no idea. It resides on the computer only. I don't use my phone for anything that needs a password. Bill
Re: Password Manager Reply #9 – August 10, 2021, 02:26:30 pm I recommend the book Take Control of Your Passwords by Joe Kissell. He reviews several password managers and has lots of other good advice.
Re: Password Manager Reply #10 – August 10, 2021, 02:53:45 pm I haven't read that book, but Joe Kissell knows his stuff. All the "Take Control" books I've seen are good. (Disclaimer: I wrote for them many years ago.)
Re: Password Manager Reply #11 – August 10, 2021, 07:11:26 pm Been using 1password for ages. They have a stand along app. <smile> It's at bit hard to find. They try real hard to get ya to use the subscription model. All the password and other data is stored on your local device or in my case https://www.dropbox.com/basic. I have ALL my personal and very sensitive information in it i.e. banks accounts, SSN, Credit Cards, and Passport numbers. It's on all my devices. It syncs using various cloud providers. I use the Dropbox to sync it across my devices.. I use it on both my Apple, Microsoft, and Google devices. When I introduce a new device into my home the first thing I do is install Dropbox then 1Password. At this point ALL my passwords, addresses and other personal information is available if and when I need it. At this point I only know one password, the master password to 1Password. I have no idea what the password is to this site in fact. I'd have to look it up in the 1Password app. Take a tour & see how we protect your information | 1PasswordScroll to the bottom of the page - you'll the app section.glen
Re: Password Manager Reply #12 – August 10, 2021, 08:25:48 pm Thanks to all of you who posted. Great info and I will sit back and digest it now.Chris
Re: Password Manager Reply #13 – August 11, 2021, 10:09:18 am NY Times articleThe Best Password Managers for 2021 | Reviews by Wirecutterglen 2 Likes
Re: Password Manager Reply #14 – August 11, 2021, 10:57:33 am Quote from: colddog - August 11, 2021, 10:09:18 amNY Times articleThe Best Password Managers for 2021 | Reviews by WirecutterglenGlen, thanks for the information about 1Password. My LastPass subscription is up in a few months so I'll trial 1Password and see how how it performs across all platforms, if I like the user interfaces, etc.Also, I have found that many sites will allow you to change you user name (some will only allow your email address and some will not allow you to change the original user name you created). Where it is allowed I use complex user names created by LastPass.Charles
Re: Password Manager Reply #15 – August 11, 2021, 12:09:15 pm I’ll chime in here to simply encourage those that do not yet use a password manager to do so. My father recently fell victim to identity theft via phishing by clicking a link on a website he had identified by web search. The link caused a remote access & control program to be installed on my father’s computer (we were tipped off watching the cursor move around the screen without our guidance). The perpetrator used the remote control program to access my father’s Google Chrome web browser where, unfortunately, my father had been saving various internet account passwords. We took all of the recommended actions (credit agency freeze, notifying financial institutions, etc…), but not before the “Perp” had used my father’s credit card to purchase XBox game tokens from Amazon (apparently these are used as a form of currency on the black market). To address the hack, we first found the remote access program that had been cleverly concealed on my dad’s computer and removed it (with help of an IT security guru). It then became a game of cat and mouse over the next two days as the Perp now had access to my father’s Comcast email account via the Google Chrome password list (initially unbeknownst to us), and would simply change passwords to accounts after we had already done so. Once we figured out that the Perp had obtained internet service provider / email provider account access, we deleted that account (and some others), set-up a password manager with high strength passwords. In the process of doing this, my father’s bank internet security department referred us to a very senior fellow (they took an interest in the case I guess). He affirmed our plan and encouraged my father to begin using two factor authentication. He further advised us to use application-based “App” authentication tokens rather than text message based tokens. As you can appreciate, this was a stressful and challenging experience, especially for my father. So, the moral of the story is, use high strength passwords and a reputable password management utility! And, opt-in when your financial institution offers two-factor authentication security.Be safe out there.Warren 7 Likes
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