Forty-one per cent of Canadians say they use the same password for multiple accounts. And while that’s not secure, it is (almost) understandable. Creating a unique password for each of your accounts and devices can seem daunting, especially when you have to remember them all. 
But your passwords are often your first line of defense when it comes to cyber security. Having a weak or repetitive password can make it easy for cyber criminals to gain access to your accounts, risking your time, money and even your identity.
Before you pull out the stack of sticky notes (which you should never, ever use for password security!), consider trying something more cyber safe that could help you save time instead. A password manager — a tool that helps securely create, store and retrieve your passwords – can keep you secure and help you avoid hours of password-related hassles each year. Here’s how.
You’ll never lose a password again
If you’ve been using a unique password for each of your accounts and devices, that’s great. But if you haven’t been using a password manager (or if you don’t have a photographic memory), you may not be storing them correctly.
If you’ve recorded your passwords on paper or in text documents on your phone or computer, there’s a good chance that you’ve lost a password at some point. You may have even found yourself digging through your garbage like a racoon after a pizza party to find a password you misplaced!
Not only is this risky and not secure, it’s a waste of time too. Rather than sorting through the clutter at your desk or scrolling through the notes app on your phone, a password manager can help you organize your various passwords by safeguarding them in one secure place. By using a password manager, you’ll never lose another password again – just don’t forget the one you’ve created for your password manager.
You’ll stop wasting time resetting your passwords
We’ve all had to shamefully click the “Did you forget your password?” button after several failed attempts at logging into an account that we haven’t accessed in a while. It’s a frustrating process, especially if you don’t have a back-up account linked to the one you’re trying to access. And don’t even get us started on trying to remember the answers to security questions you came up with years ago.
Your password manager can help you create new, safer passwords
Your password manager is made to protect you – and part of this is by helping you create new, safer passwords or giving you tips on how to make your current passwords stronger. If you have a hard time thinking up new and complex passwords when you make a new account, a password manager can help you.
Many password managers will give you a score based on how secure your passwords are, letting you know whether you need to increase their complexity. Some password managers even come with password generators that can create a new, random password for you. Typically, these passwords look like a collection of randomized numbers, letters and characters that you wouldn’t otherwise remember if your password manager wasn’t doing the memory work for you.
This feature can help you save time by taking some (or all) of the frustrations out of creating a new password, while making sure your existing passwords are also up to par.
While you’re focused on creating new, stronger passwords for your accounts, don’t forget the one that matters most: the password for your password manager. It’s the password preventing a cyber criminal from accessing all your accounts, and it should be the strongest one of them all.
Conclusion
Your unique passwords can be difficult to manage and frustrating to remember. By using a password manager for all of your accounts, you’ll be able to save your valuable time while staying cyber safe.