I love 1Password
Welcome to our Computer Basics series! I’ll be covering some ways to make your computer-life easier, and answering some questions that come up frequently as I work with my clients. If you have a question or an issue you’ve like help with, let me know in the comments!
A life-changing computer-related find: 1Password
A while ago, I stepped up my overall online security and I knew my passwords could be better. I had been following the basic security protocols, like not using my email or financial institution password on any other websites, and not using super easy passwords. (If you are doing that, at the very least, stop doing it! Do not repeat your email password or your bank password on any other website.) My first inclination was to start coming up with decent passwords and writing them down in a notebook. This is not a horrible way to do it if you can keep your notebook safe, you don’t log into many websites or apps, or don’t spend much time on your computer. (Just do this on paper, and not in a document on your computer!) For the amount that I use a computer and the internet, it started wasting a ton of time.
I’ve also spent a lot of time helping clients chase down old passwords and logins, so I know I’m not the only one. (And you know you always have to reset these things when you’re in a rush, so it’s easy to forget to update your password book.)
I always reserve the phrase “life-changing” for things that truly are, like yearly goal setting and new ways to fold your socks. With 1Password I have saved so much time, and I no longer have to even think about passwords and logins! Sorry to sound like a commercial, this glowing review is completely unsolicited. Any other password manager would work the same, but 1Password seemed like the best fit for what I needed. Check them out to see what’s a good fit for you!
You just have to remember one password — make it great one! — and the program will securely store everything else.
I’m not a cybersecurity expert, but I’ve done a bit of research on how to create a great password, and I distilled these different approaches into one that I feel good about:
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-create-a-strong-password-1797681069
https://www.howtogeek.com/195430/how-to-create-a-strong-password-and-remember-it/
Your password should be:
As long as you can handle typing in to your password manager once a day without throwing your phone or computer across the room. The more characters there are, the harder it is to crack the password by brute force.
Truly random (It’s so easy to get personal details about everyone from social media. Maybe you think CorgiThePixiesPizza1967 is random if those are the first words that jump in your head, but hackers can maybe figure it out from what you post online.)
Not just a string dictionary words. I love the XKCD idea, but apparently hackers use “dictionary attacks” to unlock accounts where they run a program that runs through dictionary words to crack the code.
Varied, and include numbers and special characters
Memorable (So, for me, it can’t be a random string of letters and numbers.)
To do all this, I’d recommend going to a bookcase and picking 7-12 books at random, from a variety of genres. (Don’t forget your cookbooks and other manuals!) Then, flip open to a random page and point at a random word (maybe with your eyes closed). That’s your first word. Repeat for each book. Then add in your special characters and numbers in a way that seems random, but memorable to you. This keeps you from selecting words that are predictable based on your personality and likes. (Especially if you use someone else’s books!) I did this, and it really only took me a day or two to remember all these words and where my numbers and characters fell in. Of course, you could have a 100+ character long password of random characters, and you’d be the most secure one out there, but in cybersecurity nothing is ever 100%. For me, this method was a huge improvement over my old system, and I feel secure now, and I’m saving so much time and mental bandwidth by only having one password to think about!