If you use your computer regularly or visit specific websites each month this this one is for you!
Saving your passwords in your web browser can seem harmless and secure. Saving regular log ins for banking, the bills you pay, your google account etc. means you get to have an easier, faster log in to get things done right? That may be the case however it may not be the safest way to store account log in information.
When Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge ask you to save your log in information for a site, you think it will be safe and secure and that no harm can be done. However you aren't fully protected, those can still be seen if someone uses your machine or is granted access to your machine via viewer software. They just have to know where to go, and if they have ill intent while using your machine they definitely know where to look.
I know I just mentioned viewer software so lets touch base on what that is really quick. Viewer software is an app or program someone may ask you to download on your machine. They will be able to login and access and your machine from a different computer. See our next blog for more information on the differences between viewer software and spyware next month!
Now let's get started. Here are 3 Reasons why saving your passwords in your web browser can be dangerous.
When you save your passwords in your web browser they are put into a data base. It could be breached at any point and you may never know.
It only takes 5-6 steps to view those saved passwords in your browser. You just have to know how.
All of your accounts are now vulnerable, which means you are not safely browsing your internet.
If someone were to gain access to your social media you would feel like its invasion of privacy. If someone gained access to your banking information that is terrifying, which could cause financial hardship. Even the minor accounts like your email can seem minor compared to your bank, but even then, they now have all of your contacts emails, any important documents that have been sent or they could begin using your email as an imposter and contacting people you know.
Let's talk about ways to safely store your passwords and give yourself the peace of mind you deserve.
Password managers are a great place to store any and all passwords you use regularly. Enpass is a password manager that we highly recommend. It is easy to use, can auto generate passwords for you if you don't like making up your own, will tell you your passwords strength.. and no 1234 is NOT a good password. The best part? You only need to remember one master password!
Writing your passwords down in a small notebook. This may seem old fashioned but it really is a safe way to store passwords. This way, nothing is stored in a database, which means the only people that have access to it, you and anyone you show the location of your notebook too.
This way may take a little more time to set up, however using a flash drive to store your passwords could be beneficial. You could put them all in a spreadsheet and store it on your flash drive, removing it from your computers drive. This means again, only you have access to it or anyone you tell. Yet none of your passwords are stored locally on your machine or web browser.
We hope this information keeps you and others safe. Ditch the web browser password manager and keep yourself safe with a more secure alternative above!