Do you want to change your password now?
It is a most painful exercise to change one’s password. Especially when extended to a gazillion different accounts. Just as you have begun to remember that “memorable” password you created in a moment of creative ecstasy, you find you must change it. John Kelly, of the Washington Post, wrote a clever article, What’s Code for ‘Die, Computer’? Written in 2009, Mr. Kelly explores the anguish of the your-password-expires-in-3-days countdown and comes up with his own solution. Not recommended. Except for the smiles generated.
Most systems require a password change every 90 days. 4 times a year. So you smugly use the same “new” password you have plugged into the other 99 accounts you try to keep secure. But a message pops up.
Having a different password for every account is critical to ensuring your online safety. Let us help you create a new password by generating a random password for you.
That’s not a help but a threat!
But wait. What if. What if there was a program called LastPass that not only created the super-safe randomly generated password, but kept it in a password vault, that vault accessible by your very last password ever. Last? Yes, because when the changing of the guard occurs in 90 days, you will face it bravely, knowing that LastPass will make it relatively simple for you. No more “password fatigue.” You will have one password only that will give you access to your vault of multiple passwords. Single storage. Simple solution.
Am I writing sales copy? Do I work for LastPass? No and no. I simply sympathize with the weariness of trying to keep track of all those passwords. We all know how important passwords are to security. Nor am I simply speaking with I-read-this-article knowledge. I’ve tried it.
Once installed, LastPass sees the site you need to gain access to and provides the appropriate stored credentials. You gain access silently and securely. It really works. Do I care that I don’t remember what the password is for that particular site? No. Because it will change in less than 90 days anyway! Besides, I’m expending my mental energy keeping track of that last password which gives me total access. For obvious reasons, if you forget or lose that last password, you are toast. Truly crisp. Without recourse. Other than to start over with redoing all your passwords. But you can handle remembering just one password. You’ve done so well with dozens. Just one? That is a walk in the park. A piece of cake. A favorite book.
By the way, there are benefits besides bypassing password fatigue. There is a renewed confidence in the security of your online information. If you knew that your online account was impenetrable because of a double strength, triple-long, random generated password, you might even store your passport information online. Available when you are traveling, but without the concern. Other important financial documents or medical records, insurance cards, membership information, Wi-Fi logins. All the information you’d like to keep secure, you could safely keep. That secure online place backed by your vaulted password storage.
So, you’re welcome. I’m pleased to have been of help. Enjoy! Oh. Wait. I should tell you the cost. There is a free account. You can compare the features of a free account versus the premium account here. The premium costs $24 annually. One last question. Who created LastPass? A familiar online company – LogMeIn. Software Alliant uses daily to connect remotely to your computer for desktop help.
Be secure! Avoid minimizing your security through password fatigue, the too simple excuse of remembering yet another password.
