Today’s post comes from Neal O’Farrell, Intersections’ Consumer Security Advisor.
I’m a big fan of password managers, in part because I’m a fan of big passwords. We all know (or at least should) that our own personal passwords are the keystone in security. Hackers regard passwords as a golden key because not only do they allow hackers into places they shouldn’t be, they allow the hacker to pose as a legitimate user like you.
That’s why security experts like me are always counseling on the power of password rules – make the passwords long, random, and hard to guess. Change them often, sometimes every three months. And guard them like you would your Social Security number.
But a hard-to-guess password can mean a hard-to-remember password, and who can remember so many? Password managers like ID Vault can, and they now have a free edition.
Now ID Vault is much more than a password manager. It protects you against the common mistake of logging in to a similar sounding web site and stumbling across a Trojan or other malware waiting to infect your computer. And it protects you against browser-based attacks that try to intercept your usernames and passwords as you type them.
Best of all, ID Vault can remember all your passwords, no matter how complex they are or how often you change them. Whenever you want to log into a site like your online bank account, ID Vault will first make sure you’re actually on the right site, then auto-fill the correct username and password so you don’t have to remember them or type them.
All you have to do is remember one master password or PIN and ID Vault takes care of the rest. And best of all, the free version of ID Vault is available from IdentityGuard – go to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IdentityGuard and click on the Free Gift tab.
Now the free version will only allow you keep a record of just four sites and their passwords. These could be your email password, bank or credit union account, and maybe a couple of online credit card accounts. But if you use Identity Guard Total Protection, you get the full version free and can add as many accounts as you like.
I’m still exploring ID Vault but so far I’ve found it very effective, very reliable (it does what it promises) and very easy to learn, set up and use. I’ve been using various password managers for years and never surf without them. ID Vault is by far the best and most user friendly.
I’ll keep you posted as I explore further but in the meantime try it for yourself, free, at our Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/IdentityGuard.