Password management tips
Wide Open: How Bad Password Habits Are Causing Data Breaches and What You Can Do to Avoid Them
Coming up with a unique password is getting more and more challenging. As online security becomes an increasingly sophisticated field, websites, from banks to e-commerce, put more stringent demands on the passwords they demand from users. It’s no wonder, then, that many people get fed up with the hassle and reuse the same password on multiple sites. And it’s a growing problem.
According to TechRepublic, 53% of people surveyed affirmed their password laziness. And while reuse is bad enough, people persist in forming their passwords from personal or identity-related information, like birthdays and other easily-guessed characteristics. Yet, for all the convenience a single memorable password affords, it flat-out isn’t worth the risk. Cyber-criminals know that reuse is prevalent and are ready to ferret out all your info from every site protected by the same weak password.
Of course, where should you keep this ever-expanding roster of passwords? Are your devices’ default browsers and managers secure enough for the job? What about hand-written notes and spreadsheets? They sure are easy to reach. But it’s a pain to keep track of which personal device hosts which password and inconvenient to manage up-to-date information.
Moreover, this approach can be catastrophic at work. A tragic 60% of small businesses go under in less than 6 months after a breach, 81% of which are from weak password management. Unfortunately, 57% of employees habitually share login credentials over direct messages and email — looking for convenience, no doubt.
Simple in Theory: Strong Passwords Are a Hassle to Manage
The anatomy of a strong password is simple; it’s the execution and storage that pose a problem for most people. First, passwords must be unique. It’s the user’s responsibility to ensure they avoid falling into the trap of using their credentials over and over. Of course, this taxes our ability to manage a lot of accounts. But think of how much easier it makes the attacker’s life when they discover that your bank account and personal email have the same password. What about all your other online accounts? The more you use a password, the greater the exposure of your online info.
Second, every password should be random. Sites try to assist us with this by requiring special characters and a mix of digits and letters. But our minds are not computers; they work by drawing connections. So, random is difficult to remember. However, it’s also tough (if not impossible) to guess, and even brute-force cyber-attacks can have trouble if no pattern exists. So, using random strings of characters is ideal for security, if not our memories.
Secure Password Managers Help with the Creation and Storage
The challenge of creating a unique, randomly generated password is a real hassle. Some people have had success remembering them by assembling a series of unrelated words. Unfortunately, these are not truly random, and it’s a challenging method to scale beyond a handful of passwords. Fortunately, a robust password manager like C2 Password can instantly generate strong, unique passwords. Moreover, it will save you the hassle of keeping track of them all, securely storing them for immediate retrieval whenever and wherever you need to log in.
C2 Password generates passwords according to your specifications and can adapt to the requirements of any online platform. You can set parameters like password length, number and special character requirements, and complexity. In addition, end-to-end encryption keeps all your passwords safe — as many as you need, for as long as you need.
A Potent Mix of Security and Convenience
The blend of security and ease of use is unparalleled. The C2 Password browser extension automatically saves every password and can auto-fill password fields on the login page you visit. For added protection, the C2 Password browser extension will close upon browser restart, so you don’t need to worry about your passwords if someone gains access to your device.
Additionally, C2 Password is loaded with other features to enhance your online security and maintain ease of use. For example, through the mobile app, browser extensions, and the C2 Password website, you can enjoy unlimited syncing across all devices — even if they run on different operating systems. Unlimited cross-device syncing means that you can access, add and edit your credentials on hand when and wherever you need them.
In addition, you can store data that are not, strictly speaking, login credentials. This includes addresses, account numbers, passport details, government ID data, etc. C2 Password allows you to organize all your sensitive info using tags, categories, and favorites. Finally, you can set data like credit card numbers, your SSN, and contact info to populate through the auto-fill function.
C2 Password Leverages Next-Gen Security Protocols
Strong and unique passwords are not the limits of online protection, and C2 Password recognizes that. Therefore, with 2FA enabled on the online service you’re using, C2 Password can be used as a 2FA authenticator to receive those required Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTP). Using C2 Password as your third-party 2FA authenticator ensures every instance is 100% authorized by the user. For convenience, this potent feature is compatible with the auto-fill function and adds an extra layer of security to throw off would-be attackers.
Synology’s C2 Password Is the Premier Password Manager
Insecure password habits can lead to personal and professional laundry lists of disasters. For example, losing online data like banking info, medical records, and credit card numbers can lead to months of clean-up and horrible financial loss. Furthermore, the effects on a company can be even worse, driving it entirely out of business. But cyber-attackers don’t care, and it’s up to you to protect yourself with a series of random and unique passwords.
And that’s where password managers come in. By generating strong passwords and storing them in a single place, they help you transform your insecure password habits. Premium password managers like Synology’s C2 Password are fully customizable, generating strong credentials according to your specifications to fit any online platform. And by using C2 Password as your 2FA authenticator packs even more security between your valuable data and the cyber-criminals looking for an easy target.
Try C2 Password today for free!
