Hello, #readers! I hope you're having a fantastic day and staying properly hydrated. Just a quick reminder, though: coffee doesn't count towards staying hydrated, so keep that in mind! 🧐
In today's post, I want to address a common issue that I think we've all experienced at some point: forgetting passwords and usernames for various websites, even our mobile banking apps!
The Facts
Did you know this is more common than you might think? According to a study conducted by ExpressVPN, 52% of respondents in the United States reset their passwords at least once a month. Moreover, 21% admitted to resetting passwords more than once a week, and a surprising 14% even do it once a day! These stats reveal a significant number of people frequently forget their passwords.
With this context, it's clear many of us have been through this situation, wasting valuable time trying to reset our passwords.
But don't worry, in the next segment of this post, I'll share an effective solution to avoid these problems and make your digital life much simpler. Keep reading!
The Issues
We've established the challenges of forgetting passwords, but have you realized the real consequences of these situations? Allow me to explain.
One major problem is resorting to opening our notepads and jotting down passwords. While it may seem practical at the moment, it puts our privacy and security at risk. Imagine if someone gains access to that notepad—your confidential data would be exposed!
But that's not all. Another common mistake is using the same password for all the apps and websites we use. This leads to a much bigger problem: the infamous data leaks. Unfortunately, we can't control the security of all the platforms we register on, and if any of them suffer a security breach, attackers can access our passwords and emails.
Imagine this scenario: a data leak occurs on one of the sites where you use that common password (onedirection1234!). Cybercriminals gain access to your personal info, and now you have a vulnerability across all other sites where you used the same password. It's a risk we shouldn't underestimate.
That's why it's crucial to take steps to protect our information.
The Solution
Did you know there are password managers that can greatly help with security and remembering passwords? They're essential for all your accounts! These managers generate automatic passwords and offer the option of using one-time codes, which is crucial nowadays.
Personally, I've tried several password managers like Bitwarden, Dashlane, and 1Password. Of them, 1Password has brought a remarkable change in how I handle my accounts. I no longer need to remember any passwords, as the manager takes care of that. Plus, it generates highly secure passwords, even over 32 characters if needed. Goodbye to using my birthdate as a password!
As a backend developer, a feature I find incredibly useful is the ability to securely store all my .env files and access them from my account. I no longer worry about copying and pasting files to an insecure location when switching computers. These files often contain database access info or external provider details. I simply store them in a secure note, and that's more than enough.
Furthermore, 1Password recently added a feature to manage SSH keys, although I haven't used it yet, I'm sure it'll be incredibly helpful. I've noticed this company truly has us, developers, in mind to make their tool genuinely useful. I wholeheartedly recommend it, even if there are more budget-friendly alternatives out there, this one's my favorite.
So, there you have it—use a password manager wherever possible! Don't forget to enable two-factor authentication on your accounts. If you use multiple AWS accounts, I promise it'll make your life so much easier.
Hope you enjoyed this new post about something that helps me in my day-to-day. Thanks for reading! I'll leave you with a cheems.
References:
P, M. (2022). Survey: How Much Time Do You Waste Resetting Passwords? Home of Internet Privacy. https://www.expressvpn.com/es/blog/encuesta-cuanto-tiempo-desperdicia-restableciendo-contrasenas/
Peru, E. C. (2021, May 6). World Password Day: 56% of users never change their access codes. El Comercio Peru. https://elcomercio.pe/tecnologia/actualidad/ciberseguridad-dia-mundial-de-las-contrasenas-el-56-de-usuarios-no-cambia-nunca-sus-claves-de-acceso-hackers-hackeo-noticia/
Biggest Data Breaches in US History [Updated 2023] | UpGuard. (n.d.). https://www.upguard.com/blog/biggest-data-breaches-us
Top comments (1)
This is a great topic! A password manager is critical for security these days.
When selecting a password manager, make sure it follows the "Trust No One" principle that your Master Password is not stored by or transmitted to the provider. This makes sure that even in the event of a data breach that exposes your synced database, the information inside is still reasonably secure...as long as you use a good Master Password.
As a bonus, many password managers also include tools to tell you if accounts or passwords in your library were exposed in a previous breach, which adds a layer of utility and security to these essential tools.