1Password: A Smart Investment for Online Security
I remember it like it was yesterday—the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had been hacked. I thought my password was secure, but it wasn’t. I was using the same password everywhere. That is when I learned about password managers and why I needed one.
When researchers examine the habits of people who don’t use password managers, they often find:
Using Post-it notes and other unsecured methods to track passwords
Reusing passwords across multiple sites
Creating simple, easy-to-guess passwords
Using easily guessable information
Not updating passwords regularly
Ignoring two-factor authentication options
Any password manager is better than none, but a professional one, like 1Password, is ideal. To transition, I gradually moved passwords from notes to the secure vault. Now, I rarely log in without the manager's help. A family plan is affordable at $60 per year, or $5 per month, making it a smart investment in online security.
Here are some key benefits:
Easy-to-manage unique passwords for each website
Password health reports
Convenience and enhanced security
Dark web monitoring
Biometric options
Breach alerts
Protection against phishing
Cross-platform syncing
Random password generation
Secure sharing
Autofill and auto-login on all devices
Secure storage for items such as:
Passkey and two-factor authentication (2FA) integration
Credit card details
Notes
A recent client took the plunge and moved to a password manager. They said:
We delayed improving our password management, but after a small investment and nominal annual fee, we wish we'd done it sooner. Having passwords and sites in one place is convenient. With one click, the app opens a site and logs in, saving time and frustration. We can access and share information securely from anywhere, with the ability to categorize and organize passwords for family sharing. Switching from a free service to 1Password was easy, with clear steps for transferring and removing old credentials. The option to store sensitive information securely is an added benefit.
Password managers can auto-fill passwords, so you only need to remember your master password—and even then, there are options to keep that secure.
If you have any questions, I’d love to help. Please drop me a note at john@scaggs.net.