Your Password Manager Can Tell You If Your Passwords Suck
If you’re worried about protecting your online identity from hackers, your best place to start is with a password manager like 1Password , but setting up an account is only half the battle . Most of these services have additional security features that you may not be using.
Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of your password manager you already use.
1Password and the Watchtower
1Password is one of the most popular password managers around. It’s also one of the few options to offer a feature like Watchtower , which actively monitors the sites you use for potential security breaches. If one of your accounts is at risk, 1Password will alert you so you can quickly change the corresponding password.
To enable this feature, open the 1Password main menu on your computer and tap Watchtower (on iOS, open the app, tap Settings, then Security, then Enable 1Password Watchtower). If you are checking the Watchtower from your computer, you can also enable Item Count in the View Select menu to display a number next to the Watchtower when a potential security issue is detected.
LastPass security issue
LastPass doesn’t have the feature that Watchtower does, but it does offer tools that can help you find and replace any weak passwords you’ve used.
The LastPass Security Challenge check is for anyone who creates their own password for each account but stores it in the LastPass vault rather than using a service to randomly generate secure passwords. It’s a useful tool for finding any weak passwords you might be using, and it might even convince you to take full advantage of LastPass’s password management capabilities.
LastPass breaks down your Security Challenge score into three categories. First, the security score measures the strength of your passwords, including the use of two-factor authentication, and gives you a score of 100. If you find weak passwords, you will be able to quickly go to this site and install a new one.
You will also receive a LastPass Standing score, which measures the security of your password compared to other users (the lower the better). Finally, the master password score evaluates the security of your master password, so you can change it if it is not strong enough (anything less than 50 is considered weak).
Other password managers
There are several other popular password managers you may already be using, and they all offer their own built-in additional security checks.
Dashlane has constant security monitoring. If it detects a violation, it will tell you which accounts were affected and prompt you to change those passwords. It also includes a security assessment that breaks down the passwords you use for individual websites.
KeePass performs a security check every time you start using the service. This “quick self-test” is designed to verify that the encryption and algorithms are still working. In the event of a crash, KeePass will tell you what happened and you can fix it.
Finally, RoboForm offers a detailed security assessment feature to ensure your passwords are strong enough. The test checks standard password requirements such as upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols, as well as commonly used password terms such as names.