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Whenever you log into any of your online accounts your browser will ask you whether you wish to save or remember the password. Many users for the sake of convenience and quick access choose to save their passwords in their browsers. Little do they realise that it is a big security risk and their passwords are not at all safe.
Next time your snoopy younger sister or annoying neighbor or even worse either of your parents uses your computer then they could easily recover all your saved passwords from the browser in matter of a few seconds.
Let us assume that you are using Firefox Mozilla browser, in that case, all somebody needs to do to recover all saved passwords from your browser is to click on Tools > Options > Security > SAVED Passwords button and then select whichever account you want and click on the Show Passwords button.
Voila, your browser will display all the saved passwords in plaintext. In most other browsers as well, a similar procedure will allow you to recover all the saved passwords. Instead of saving your various account passwords in your browser, it is advisable that you save your passwords in nifty applications known as Password Managers.
Such tools will not only securely store all your passwords in an encrypted format, but will also allow you to generate difficult to crack strong passwords for your accounts. And all that you now need to remember is the master password that opens the lock to all the other passwords stored in the password manager.
Some popular passwords managers include KeepassX, Clipperz and Lastpass. Most password managers will allow you to save your passwords online on the application’s website or offline on your mobile phone, hard drive or pen drive! Some of these tools also have a single sign on into all your account option that allows you to automatically log into all your accounts as soon as you enter the master password.
Although password managers are fabulous they do come with the huge risk of somebody cracking your master password and gaining access to passwords of all your accounts! For a more foolproof solution, just work on your memory skills and remember all your passwords!
