Having a strong password is one of the most important measures to keep the information on your devices safe. Today, mechanisms such as double authentication ((2FA, for Two-factor authentication) reinforce security, but in general it all starts with a good password, and few people actually use strong passwords. In study conducted by NordPass, it was found that most of the most used passwords can be cracked in less than a second, and only 44% of them are unique passwords.
That way, a site that asks to register to be able to use it, but is not used often, will surely have a password like 'password123', '12345678' or 'Qwerty123'; Or maybe it stays with that password that we have used for years and that we do not change because it is the only one that we never forget.
We must also recognize that the task is not easy: when you have dozens of services, using a different password for each one, as recommended, is a task worthy of a person with a photographic memory. However, nowadays we no longer need to remember many passwords or have keys like 'cFniEJ2.bsKJ6cT', which are the most secure, but which we will definitely never be able to remember. To help us with this task, there are applications for managing passwords that not only allow us to remember them, but also to make them more secure.
Some of these applications require a subscription, while others are free. Here we bring a list - which is certainly not the only one - of applications for managing passwords that we consider especially outstanding.
Why not just use the browser?
One of the first options for password management is certainly the Internet browser. Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Brave or Opera all have the option of remembering passwords so that in the future the access key appears in the corresponding field without us having to remember or write anything.
Despite the convenience of this tool, browsers are limited. If, for example, different programs are used for different tasks on the Internet, we would still have to remember each password to store it in them. In the same way, someone who has access to your browser will also have it absolutely all the passwords saved in it, that do not have double authentication activated.
So in the end it may be better to use a specialized app to do this job. The apps are intuitive and easy to use, and overall a fairly simple tool that delivers on the promise of more security for your accounts very well. Among them, the following stand out:
Bitwarden
We start the list with one of the best known applications because it is multiplatform, free and also open source. This means that many eyes have looked at the code that is executed (the code, not the keys it stores) to make sure that the program effectively complies with all the encryption and security protocols that it promises, and that it does not do dodgy operations with our passwords. .
Bitwarden is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and it also includes extensions for most browsers, for better integration. The program is free with all functions, although there is also a paid version that has encrypted cloud storage and integration with devices such as YubiKey.
You can find all the links and how to register on the official Bitwarden page.
ZohoVault
We now turn to a password management program that also includes special functions for businesses and companies. Zoho Vault is developed by Zoho, which also develops other business applications such as Zoho Mail, Zoho Workdrive (cloud storage), and Zoho Meetings (video conferencing).
Zoho Vault fulfills all the basic functions of creating strong passwords and is cross-platform. However, it also includes an option so that passwords can be shared between various team members without this implying less security. Passwords can be shared, for example, between only administrators or high-level users.
As well as Bitwarden, Zoho Vault is free for individual users, although it also has a paid plan of less than $ 1 a month. For businesses (5 or more users), plans start at $ 3,6 per month.
You can download Zoho Vault and view your business plans from its official page.
1Password
Now let's move on to one of the most popular applications. What makes 1Password so widely used is that it offers quite a few added features compared to other services. Now, 1Password is not free, but its price of $ 3 per month (about 11.000 Colombian pesos) is justified by the extras that are earned.
1Password is available for most devices and browsers, and it even has a command line feature that works exclusively in text mode. Another function is called Travel Mode, that allows you to temporarily erase sensitive data for times when the device is in the hands of another person.
One last important addition is that 1Password can function as an authentication application –Similar to what Google Authenticator does– but with an added layer of encryption.
1Password costs $ 3 / month or $ 36 / year with an initial 14-day trial. You can see the plans on their official page.
KeePassXC
We close the list with another open source application that works quite well for those who like to have a little more control. KeePassXC is an open source and cross-platform password management program (with the advantages that we already mentioned that this brings).
The key is that, unlike other services, in KeePassXC the program creates an encrypted database with all the passwords that can be stored in different cloud services. This means, services like Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive or Zoho Workdrive that works on any device.
Although the application does not have an official version for phones, its developers recommend KeePass2Android for Android and strong box for iOS. Both can read the KeePassXC database and are open source.
KeePassXC is free. You can download it on its official page.
To remember
A good password management program should be able to store passwords and user names, create passwords and update them easily; And, if possible, you should be able to sync them across all devices that are used. Most password management programs have a master password that is used to display all other data.
Sometimes these applications can also incorporate biometric information (such as fingerprints or facial recognition) through Windows Hello or Touch ID. To start off right We recommend you check if your passwords have been compromised in some attack and change them using a password manager.
With so many tools available, now there is no excuse for there to be more '12345' or 'password' in our accounts. In this way we protect our data and our security on the Internet.
