PASSWORD MANAGEMENT
As the IT landscape expands, passwords proliferate, and as more passwords need to be protected, a centralized password management routine becomes crucial.
Passwords still remain as one of the most secure methods of authentication available to date but, they are subjected to a number of security threats when mishandled. This is where password management comes in handy. Password management is a set of principles and best practises that users should follow when storing and managing passwords in order to secure passwords as much as possible and prevent unauthorised access.
Why Should You Use Password Management?
You Don't Need a Good Memory
The main benefit of using a password manager to boost your cyber security is that you don't need to have a good memory. This means that everyone can use the most recent recommendations for secure passwords, such as long phrases, symbols, punctuation, and capitalization.
Individual Vaults for Employees
All passwords generated by your team password manager are stored in a secure and encrypted vault. However, no one should have access to other people's passwords because doing so exposes them to a slew of other security risks. This also means that the employee can access their passwords by logging in to their vault from anywhere.
A Variety of Log In Methods
Employees can access their vaults via password, a PIN, biometrics, and even a selfie. The latter option works by sending the image to a LogMeOnce-enabled device, which can then approve or deny the login request.
All of your passwords will be complex, encrypted passwords.
You won't have to sit down and create passwords on your own because the software does it for you. You won’t have to wonder if the password is tough enough, and you won’t have to think about whether you used the right combination of characters.
WHAT MAKES PASSWORD MANAGEMENT SO TRUSTWORTHY?
End-to-end encryption
End-to-end encryption ensures that your data is unreadable while in transit and at rest. A unique authentication key must be provided for the platform to decrypt the data. With end-to-end encryption, the only person who has this authentication key is the user and your data simply will be adequately secured.
Password Sharing
Password sharing enables users to share passwords and credentials over secure channels and minimizes the security risks associated with sending passwords over email, SMS, or messenger applications.The best password managers will provide password sharing as an in-built feature, making it easy to share passwords and other relevant information from directly within the application.The best password managers will provide password sharing as an in-built feature, making it easy to share passwords and other relevant information from directly within the application.
Password Generator
Most password managers provide in-built password generators. Users can choose the length of the password, as well as the level of complexity. Generated passwords can then be saved into the application for later use or copied and pasted onto a web page.
Usability
The ability to use the password manager's day-to-day functionality quickly, simply, and easily is critical for ensuring that the password manager is used on a regular basis. If it is not at least nearly as easy to use for all of a user's common password needs, it may get neglected in favor of less secure options.
WHY IS PASSWORD MANAGEMENT GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
- Increase Operational Efficiency
- Strengthen Security
- Exercise Centralized Control
- Improve Productivity
HOW DOES IT WORK?
You save all of your passwords to the manager, then create a single “master” password for them all. When you sign into a website, you only need to remember one master password.
That means you can make this single password long and secure. Enabling two-factor authentication in the password manager app increases security even further.
Most importantly, all leading password managers use a technique called “zero knowledge.” Zero-knowledge security means that although the password manager knows your passwords, the company that makes the manager doesn’t.
TYPES OF PASSWORD MANAGEMENT
- Desktop-Based: This is one of the oldest and most popular types of password manager category. Usernames and passwords are encrypted and stored on the user’s desktop machine locally.
- Cloud-Based: With this password manager type, usernames and passwords are stored on the service provider’s server and data gets transmitted from the user’s web-browser over the Internet using highly secure communication channel.
- Browser-Based : Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer have a built-in option to store and manage users’ login credentials.
- Portable: Here, the usernames and passwords are stored on the user’s mobile device or other portable storage devices, such as a USB stick or HDD.
- Token-Based: Here, the usernames and passwords are protected with an additional layer of security. Users must provide their login credentials and a security token delivered to their device.
- Stateless: Here, passwords are generated randomly using the user’s master passphrase and a tag using a key derivation function.
RELATED ARTICLES:
- Managing Passwords & Local Administration Rights: A Two Step Approach to a Secure Workflow: https://www.beyondtrust.com/resources/case-studies/beyondtrust-case-study-abe-smith
- The psychology of password management: A tradeoff between security and convenience: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220208616_The_psychology_of_password_management_A_tradeoff_between_security_and_convenience
- The Importance of Passwords:https://it.uottawa.ca/security/identity-authentication-theft
RELATED ARTICLES:
Managing Passwords & Local Administration Rights: A Two Step Approach to a Secure Workflow:
The psychology of password management: A tradeoff between security and convenience:
The Importance of Passwords:
QUERY
frequently asked questions
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top, click More Settings.
- Select Passwords Check passwords.
- The Password Management Policy encompasses an assortment of methods in which to competently manage a robust and effective security system with regards to protecting personal data and computer systems. It outlines the need for well thought out password protection and the risks associated with failing to do so.
- YES. All sensitive data, including passwords, is stored in a fully encrypted form. The data is encrypted in your browser using AES 256 algorithm and then transmitted in a fully encrypted form over SSL. Our data center holds only your encrypted data.
- Your passphrase acts as the encryption key, which is not stored anywhere. This passphrase must be supplied every time to decrypt your data. As a result, you get complete data privacy. No one, except you, can access your data.
- You need to specifically choose the Offline option in the mobile app. This option is available in the top-right of the mobile interface. Once you do this, you will be able to access the data even when you are offline.
- Please note that in this case, you will be able to view only those passwords that you had accessed when you were online in the app. This means any passwords that were not retrieved when you were online will not be available in offline mode.
