Here at the IT Security blog, it is easy for us to say things such as, “…you need to make strong passwords! You know, with numbers, and letters, and symbols, lots of characters! Things like “Kd03E#L0(@.” Yes, that’s a good password.”

As a reader, it is easy to sit in your chair, roll your eyes, and think, “…but that’s so impractical! How could I remember that? How could I ever use that?” I know, I know. I was you, rolling my eyes, not that long ago.

After cracking a few weak passwords on our penetration tests, it became obvious that there is a huge difference between strong passwords and weak passwords. In the case of sensitive information protected with a password, it is vital to create and use strong passwords.

If you don’t feel up to the challenge of loading your brain full of random strings of numbers, letters, and characters, then I recommend you consider a good password manager application. These applications are designed to relieve this very conundrum that technology users are frequently finding themselves surrounded. It acts as a go-between for all of your password-protected accounts. You remember one strong password, and it remembers all the others, and manages everything through your web browser. Here are a few to consider:

• Keepass is a great application on a variety of platforms that stores your passwords locally on your computer. If you have more than one system, it allows syncing through Dropbox.com. There are some guides to assist you with getting it set up here and here.
• Lastpass is similar, but all of the passwords are stored securely on the local computer and automatically synchronized (again, securely) to Lastpass’s server. If you have multiple systems and don’t want to involve a third party like Keepass/Dropbox, it is one to consider. There’s a great guide to assist you with it here.
• A third alternative is 1Password. Though more expensive, 1Password has a much better user interface and I have found it to be more intuitive and easy to set up. For something that is simple to use and understand, I would recommend 1Password.

I encourage you to try out one of these solutions today. The peace of mind will be well worth it!

By: Scott Crews, CPA, GWAPT