What is a password manager?<\/p>\n
A password manager is a software app <\/a>that helps create, store, and manage passwords and other sensitive information in a secure, encrypted digital vault.<\/p>\n It allows users to have strong, unique passwords for each online account without having to remember them all.<\/p>\n Suelette Dreyfus is senior lecturer in computing and information systems at the University of Melbourne. (ABC News: Kyle Harley)<\/p>\n Password managers help “defend your online accounts”, according to Suelette Dreyfus, a lecturer in the School of Computing and Information Systems at The University of Melbourne, on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people.<\/p>\n “A password manager makes sure your passwords are unique and strong,” Dr Dreyfus says.<\/p>\n The federal government’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)<\/a> says to access a password manager, you only need a single master password, key, PIN and\/or biometrics (such as Face ID).<\/p>\n This means you only need to remember the master login to access all your stored passwords.<\/p>\n It says password managers allow you to:<\/p>\n Generate strong and unique passwordsStore passwords and other logins in one place from any deviceSave time and effort by automatically entering your password on a login pageReduce the risk of someone intercepting your passwordsHow to choose a reputable password manager<\/p>\n Gohar Rind is a Yamatji man and managing director of Indigenous cybersecurity company Intaris, based in Perth\/Boorloo, Western Australia.<\/p>\n Before buying or downloading a password manager, he recommends checking if the company and product have a good reputation.<\/p>\n “From a security lens, you want to understand where the password manager is being run out of. Which country? Where’s the data stored?” he says.<\/p>\n “So, essentially, the password managers would encrypt your passwords or hash your passwords and store them.”<\/p>\n Hashing passwords is a security practice that converts passwords into unique, seemingly random strings of characters, making them unreadable to unauthorised users.<\/p>\n Cybersecurity expert Gohar Rind recommends checking if the company and product have a good reputation. (Supplied: Gohar Rind)<\/p>\n Our experts say there are some “reasonable” free apps such as Google Password Manager or NordPass.<\/p>\n Paid versions can cost about $50-$60 per year.<\/p>\n ACSC recommends that the app has strong security and privacy features and gets regular updates.<\/p>\n Also, check if it supports:<\/p>\n Encryption (prevents anyone from accessing your stored information without your master password)Multi-factor authenticationDifferent devices and syncing between devicesBrowser extensions to automatically enter your password on a login web pageAlerting you if one of your passwords has been exposed in a data breachHow can password managers help in data breaches? Screenshot of a password manager that has identified a breach. (ABC Lifestyle: Sonya Gee)<\/p>\n To alert you to a potential data breach, Mr Rind says the password manager would need to have a function that allows it to check against leaked passwords.<\/p>\n “In the event like Qantas, the leaked passwords need to be public\/on the dark web for the application to check against it or be picked up by notification from authorities of the compromise,” he says.<\/p>\n Some apps will alert you if one of your passwords has been exposed in a data breach.<\/p>\n Things to consider before using a password manager<\/p>\n Password managers are attractive targets to cybercriminals, so consider what accounts you are putting into your password manager.<\/p>\n ACSC says some service providers, such as banks, may not cover losses for fraudulent activity if you store your password in a password manager.<\/p>\n Mr Rind says setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your accounts “creates a second barrier for criminals”.<\/p>\n “So, even if they get your password or passphrase, when they’re logging on, they would need this secondary code to login,” he says.<\/p>\n Mr Rind says a good habit is to change your password or passphrase every six months and immediately change any password exposed in a data breach.<\/p>\n Using passphrases instead of passwords<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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