Why you need a password manager

Is one password opening all your doors?

Most of us have dozens of logins - email, online banking, Xero, social media, your website, online shops. It's tempting to use the same password (or a small variation of it) for all of them. Unfortunately, that's exactly what scammers are hoping for.

How one breach becomes many

Websites get hacked all the time and when they do, lists of email addresses and passwords end up being sold online. Scammers then run those details through automated tools that try them on thousands of other sites - email, banking, shopping and social media accounts. This is called "credential stuffing" and it is one of the most common ways accounts get taken over.

So if you use the same password everywhere, a breach at a small online store you used once can give someone the key to your email. And once they're in your email, they can reset the passwords on almost everything else.

You can check whether your email address has turned up in a known breach at haveibeenpwned.com. It's free and safe to use and you might be surprised by the results.

The fix: a different password for every login

Nobody can remember 50 different strong passwords - and you don't have to. That's what a password manager is for.

We recommend 1Password. We use it ourselves at Slightly Different to keep our own logins secure. Here's how it helps:

• One password to remember - your master password unlocks everything else.
• Strong, unique passwords - 1Password creates a different random password for every site, so one breach can't spread.
• Fills them in for you - logging in is quicker than typing.
• On your phone too - the app keeps your passwords with you wherever you are, synced across your phone and computer.
• Breach alerts - it lets you know if any of your saved passwords have been exposed or reused.
• Share safely - share logins with your team or family without sending passwords by email or text.

A few extra tips

• Make your master password a long phrase of four or more random words - easy to remember, hard to guess.
• Turn on two-step verification (a code from your phone) for your email, banking and website logins wherever it's offered.
• Never send passwords by email or text.
• Be wary of emails asking you to "confirm" or "reset" a password - if in doubt, go to the website directly rather than clicking the link.

Get started with 1Password

Get started with 1Password

Setting it up takes about 10 minutes and you can import your existing saved passwords from your browser.

If you'd like a hand getting set up, just get in touch with our team.