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Entertainment

Obtenga un año de Dashlane Premium Password Manager por solo $39

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Una membresía anual al administrador de contraseñas premium de Dashlane que tiene más de $20 de descuento y un ahorro del 35 por ciento. Simplemente use el código “SEPT35” al finalizar la compra. La compañía dice que esto es para celebrar algo llamado que en realidad no comienza hasta octubre. Siempre es genial ver en escena una nueva festividad.

Dashlan

Sin embargo, esta oferta es para el plan Premium, que incluye almacenamiento ilimitado de contraseñas y claves de acceso. Los usuarios también reciben alertas de phishing para estar al tanto de los ataques, el monitoreo de la web oscura y más. El plan también viene con una VPN, que encontré especialmente útil para ver mis historias cuando estoy en otro país.

Dashlane ha encontrado un lugar en nuestra lista Quedamos impresionados por el sólido conjunto de funciones y notamos que algunas de estas herramientas, como el almacenamiento de contraseñas, están disponibles incluso con el plan gratuito. También mencionamos la función de uso compartido seguro, donde el intercambio de contraseñas está directamente integrado en el sistema. También está disponible para muchas plataformas, incluidas macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera y otros navegadores.

Pero falta una plataforma importante, lo que puede ser un inconveniente para algunos. Dashlane no es compatible con Linux. También está la cuestión de la suscripción anual. Nadie puede decir con certeza cuál será la suscripción del próximo año, aunque cambiar los administradores de contraseñas no es tan difícil como solía ser. Existe un plan gratuito si el precio sube significativamente. El acuerdo vence el 22 de septiembre.

el sigue @engadgetdeals en Twitter y suscríbase al boletín Engadget Deals para conocer las últimas ofertas tecnológicas y consejos de compra.



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Bisnis Industri

How to remove an Apple ID from an iPhone without the password

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It’s possible to remove an Apple ID from your iPhone without a password using UnlockGo.

You can unlock iCloud Activation Lock without a password or the previous owner, remove a forgotten Screen Time passcode without data loss, bypass MDM locks and more. It’s a really powerful app and it’s available for both Mac and PC.

If you get a second-hand iPhone but find out the seller didn’t fully reset it beforehand, UnlockGo will fix it. Here’s how it works.

Sign out of Apple ID without password

You need an Apple ID to use all the iPhone’s best features and services, like the App Store and iCloud. If someone else’s Apple ID is signed in on your phone, you may not be able to access your App Store purchases or sync your photos to your own account.

You’ll want to sign out of the other account and add your own to avoid problems with your iPhone.

What will happen if you sign out of your Apple ID?

One account for everything Apple.
Your Apple ID holds all your data on the App Store and iCloud.
Image: Apple

Signing out of your Apple ID on your device will disable features like Find My, iCloud Backup, Photos, Messages in iCloud, Apple Pay, Reminders, Notes, Safari tabs and Continuity features.

When you sign out of your Apple ID, your data stored in iCloud isn’t deleted, but will be removed from the device (unless you choose to keep a copy). If you pay for iCloud storage and sign out on your device, you will lose access to iCloud+ features like Private Relay, Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video support, and custom email domain.

You can keep using iMessage and FaceTime without an Apple ID, but you will only be reachable through your phone number, not your @icloud.com email address.

You can keep using all the apps on your phone without an Apple ID, but you will need to sign back in to install updates, download new apps or re-download previous purchases.

How to reset your Apple ID password

Change Apple ID password
Change your Apple ID password in Settings.
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you forget the password to your Apple ID, there are two ways to reset it.

From your iPhone, open Settings then tap on your name at the top. Tap Sign-In & Security then tap Change Password. (There may be a waiting period if you have Stolen Device Protection turned on and you’re not at home.) All you need to type in is your iPhone passcode to change your Apple ID password.

The other way is easy to remember — go to iforgot.apple.com and tap Reset Password. Enter in your phone number and your email address. If you have your iPhone or your other Apple devices nearby, they’ll be pinged with a notification for you to authorize the change.

Otherwise, you can still change your password by signing into a new device, using a friend’s device or at an Apple Store.

How to remove someone else’s Apple ID from your iPhone without a password

If you bought a used iPhone on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or from a friend or family member, all too often they haven’t factory reset the phone first. If you’re setting up a new iPhone, you should see a “Hello” screen animation. Otherwise, someone else’s Apple ID is still on your iPhone and you will need to remove it.

Also, it’s possible someone had to borrow your phone for something and left their Apple ID signed in; now you need to sign them out, but you don’t have their password.

iToolab UnlockGo
You have a bunch of helpful tools at your disposal.
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Whatever the case may be, UnlockGo by iToolab can sign out of an Apple ID even if you don’t know the password, remove a Screen Time passcode — even remove iCloud activation lock.

It supports the current version of iOS 17 and the latest iPhone 15.

The tool is easy to use. Download it from the website, copy it to your Applications folder, then launch it. There are buttons in the right side of the toolbar where you can buy a license and register the purchase if you don’t have one yet.

UnlockGo instructions for activating DFU mode.
Whatever you’re attempting to do, there’ll be easy-to-follow directions with helpful graphics.
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Just plug your iPhone in and click on any of the available tools. There are easy walkthroughs for all the steps you need to perform on-device, like entering DFU mode. For the steps that require it, it even has an animated 5- and 10-second countdown to help you perform the exact button incantations.

Every step has a thorough explanation of what’s happening and what each option will do. It’s a refreshing change of pace from Apple’s vague error messages and confusing options.

The most popular UnlockGo is available as a one-time purchase for one device and one Mac. Other pricing options unlock up to five devices for either a month or a year at a time; the lifetime plan is valid forever. You can enjoy free software updates and 7/24 professional support on whichever plan you choose.

Price: $24.95 (one device/one Mac/one month)
Download from: iToolab



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Computers

9 Best Password Managers (2024): Features, Pricing, and Tips

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I still find BitWarden to be a more economical choice for most people, but there are some very nice features in 1Password that you won’t find elsewhere. If you frequently travel across national borders, you’ll appreciate my favorite 1Password feature: Travel Mode. This mode lets you delete any sensitive data from your devices before you travel and then restore it with a click after you’ve crossed a border. This prevents anyone, including law enforcement at international borders, from accessing your complete password vault.

It’s worth noting that 1Password uses a combination of two keys to unlock your account, your password and an additional generated secret key. While that does add a layer of security that will protect against weak passwords, it also means part of what you need to unlock your passwords is something you did not create. 1Password does make sure you have this key as an item in your “emergency kit,” but I still prefer pairing a self-generated password with a Yubikey.

In addition to being a password manager, 1Password can act as an authentication app like Google Authenticator, and for added security it creates a secret key to the encryption key it uses, meaning no one can decrypt your passwords without that key. The downside is that if you lose this key, no one, not even 1Password, can decrypt your passwords. (This can be mitigated by setting up a custom group that has the “Recover Accounts” permission.)

1Password also offers tight integration wth other mobile apps. Rather than needing to copy and paste passwords from your password manager to other apps (which puts your password on the clipboard at least for a moment), 1Password is integrated with many apps and can autofill. This is more noticeable on iOS, where inter-app communication is more restricted.

After signing up, download the app for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, Brave, and Edge.


Best Full-Featured Manager

Screenshot of Dashlane app on desktop

Courtesy of Dashlane

I first encountered Dashlane several years ago. Back then, it was the same as its competitors, with no stand-out attributes. However, updates over time have added several helpful features. One of the best is Site Breach Alerts, something other services have since added as well. Dashlane actively monitors the darker corners of the web, looking for leaked or stolen personal data, and it alerts you if your information has been compromised.

Setup and migration from another password manager is simple, and you’ll use a secret key to encrypt your passwords, much like BitWarden’s setup process. In practice, Dashlane is very similar to the others on this list. The company doesn’t offer a desktop app, but I primarily use passwords in the web browser anyway, and Dashlane has add-ons for all the major browsers, along with iOS and Android apps. If a desktop app is important to you, that omission is something to be aware of. Dashlane offers a 30-day free trial, so you can test it out before committing.

After signing up, download the app for Android and iOS, and grab the browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.


Best DIY Options (Self-Hosted)

Want to retain more control over your data in the cloud? Sync your password vault yourself. The services below do not store any of your data on their servers. This means attackers have nothing to target. Instead of storing your passwords, these services use a local vault to store your data, and then you can sync that vault using a file-syncing service like Dropbox; NextCloud; or Edward Snowden’s recommended service, SpiderOak. There are two services to keep track of in this scenario, making it a little more complex. But if you’re already using a file-syncing file service, this can be a good option.

Screenshot of Enpass password manager app on desktop

Courtesy of Enpass

Enpass does not store any data on its servers. Syncing is handled through third-party services. Enpass doesn’t do the syncing, but it does offer apps on every platform. That means once you have syncing set up, it works just like any other service. And you don’t have to worry about Enpass being hacked, because your data isn’t on its servers. Enpass supports syncing through Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, Box, Nextcloud, or any service using WebDAV. Alas, SpiderOak is not currently supported. You can also synchronize your data over a local WLAN or Wi-Fi network.

All of the features you expect in a password manager are here, including auto-generating passwords, breach-monitoring, biometric login (for devices that support it), auto-filling passwords, and options to store other types of data, like credit cards and identification data. There’s also a password audit feature to highlight any weak or duplicate passwords in your vault. One extra I particularly like is the ability to tag passwords for easier searching. Enpass also makes setting up the syncing through the service of your choice very easy. Enpass recently added support for passkeys.

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Apple ID Accounts Logging Out Users and Requiring Password Reset

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There are widespread reports of Apple users being locked out of their Apple ID overnight for no apparent reason, requiring a password reset before they can log in again.

apple id account
Users say the sudden inexplicable Apple ID sign-out is occurring across multiple devices. When they attempt to sign in again they are locked out of their account and asked to reset their password in order to regain access.

This has led to additional Apple ID issues for users with Stolen Device Protection enabled who are away from a trusted location, as well as any app-specific passwords previously set up in iCloud also being reset.

As noted by 9to5Mac, user reports about the problem began appearing on social media at around 8 p.m. Eastern Time and became increasingly prevalent into the early hours of the morning.

MacRumors staff members have also been affected by the service outage, which does not appear to have been picked up by Apple’s own System Status webpage.

We have contacted Apple for comment and will update readers if we hear back. Have you been affected by the Apple ID issue? Let us know in the comments.

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Disney+ Password Sharing Crackdown to Start in June

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Disney plans to start cracking down on Disney+ password sharing starting in June, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an interview with CNBC earlier this week. Iger said that Disney needs to turn its streaming business into a growth business, and one way to do that is to force households that are sharing passwords to sign up for their own accounts.

disney plus
“In June, we’ll be launching our first real foray into password sharing,” said Iger. “Just a few countries and a few markets, but then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September.”

Iger did not clarify where the password sharing lockdown will start, but it sounds like it will be largely worldwide when September rolls around.

Disney+ competitor Netflix put a stop to multi-household password sharing in 2023, and it ended up being a major revenue driver for the company. Netflix saw strong subscriber growth, gaining 8.8 million new subscribers in Q3 2023 after cracking down on password sharing.

Iger said that he admires what Netflix has done, calling the company the “gold standard in streaming.”

Netflix is the gold standard in streaming. They’ve done a phenomenal job in a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they’ve accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they’ve accomplished, that would be great.

Disney+ launched in 2019, and since then it has grown into the number two streaming service in terms of subscribers after Netflix. Prior to when Iger returned to Disney 2022, Disney+ was bleeding money as Disney focused on subscriber growth. Disney+ will see its first profitable quarter in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 under Iger’s leadership.

Disney’s streaming service has more than 110 million subscribers worldwide, and it has been integrating Hulu content into Disney+ in order to boost customer engagement. Disney+ is now priced at $10.99 per month for an ad-free subscription, or $7.99 for a subscription with ads.

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Disney Plus’ password crackdown starts in June, but you might not be affected right away

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It’s official: Disney Plus’ password crackdown will begin in June – but you might not be affected by the initial rollout.

Speaking on CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Disney Plus subscribers won’t be able to share their account with anyone who lives in a separate household from mid-2024 onwards. This is a slight change on the last information we received regarding Disney Plus‘ password crackdown, with Disney previously suggesting (on February 7) that its anti-password sharing rules would take effect in early 2024.

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Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Advanced Phishing Attack Involving Password Reset Requests

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Phishing attacks taking advantage of what appears to be a bug in Apple’s password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to get them to approve an Apple ID password change.

reset password request iphone
An attacker is able to cause the target’s iPhone, Apple Watch, or Mac to display system-level password change approval texts over and over again, with the hope that the person being targeted will mistakenly approve the request or get tired of the notifications and click on the accept button. If the request is approved, the attacker is able to change the ‌Apple ID‌ password and lock the Apple user out of their account.

Because the password requests target the ‌Apple ID‌, they pop up on all of a user’s devices. The notifications render all linked Apple products unable to be used until the popups are dismissed one by one on each device. Twitter user Parth Patel recently shared his experience being targeted with the attack, and he says he could not use his devices until he clicked on “Don’t Allow” for more than 100 notifications.

When attackers are unable to get the person to click “Allow” on the password change notification, targets often get phone calls that seem to be coming from Apple. On these calls, the attacker claims to know that the victim is under attack, and attempts to get the one-time password that is sent to a user’s phone number when attempting a password change.

In Patel’s case, the attacker was using information leaked from a people search website, which included name, current address, past address, and phone number, giving the person attempting to access his account ample information to work from. The attacker happened to have his name wrong, and he also became suspicious because he was asked for a one-time code that Apple explicitly sends with a message confirming that Apple does not ask for those codes.

The attack seems to hinge on the perpetrator having access to the email address and phone number associated with an ‌Apple ID‌.

KrebsOnSecurity looked into the issue, and found that attackers appear to be using Apple’s page for a forgotten ‌Apple ID‌ password. This page requires a user’s ‌Apple ID‌ email or phone number, and it has a CAPTCHA. When an email address is put in, the page displays the last two digits of the phone number associated with the Apple account, and filing in the missing digits and hitting submit sends a system alert.

It is not clear how the attackers are abusing the system to send multiple messages to Apple users, but it appears to be a bug that is being exploited. It is unlikely that Apple’s system is meant to be able to be used to send more than 100 requests, so presumably the rate limit is being bypassed.

Apple device owners targeted by this kind of attack should be sure to tap “Don’t Allow” on all requests, and should be aware that Apple does not make phone calls requesting one-time password reset codes.



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Entertainment

The best password manager for 2024

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Think about your digital footprint. How many accounts have you created online since you first started using the internet? How many of those use the same logins, so you have an easier time accessing your information? It’s a habit we’ve all fallen into, but it greatly weakens our ability to stay secure online. Just one password leak can compromise dozens of accounts. Password managers can help you break that habit. It’ll do the tedious work of creating and storing various passwords to up your security posture without testing your memorization skills. But there are dozens of password managers available now — that’s why we tested out nine of the best services available now to help you choose the right one for your needs. 1Password remains our top pick thanks to its zero-knowledge policy, numerous security features and general ease of use, but there are other solid password managers out there to consider as well.

How do password managers work?

Think of password managers like virtual safe deposit boxes. They hold your valuables, in this case usually online credentials, in a section of the vault only accessible to you by security key or a master password. Most of these services have autofill features that make it convenient to log in to any site without needing to remember every password you have, and they keep your credit card information close for impulse purchases.

But given that passwords are one of the top ways to keep your online identity secure, the real value of password managers is staying safe online. “It’s just not possible without a password manager to have unique, long and hard-to-guess passwords,” Florian Schaub, an associate professor of information and of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan, said.

Common guidance states that secure passwords should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. This is the exact opposite of using one password everywhere, with minor variations depending on a site’s requirements. Think of how many online accounts and sites you have credentials for — it’s an impossible task to remember it all without somewhere to store passwords safely (no, a sticky note on your desk won’t cut it). Password managers are more readily accessible and offer the benefit of filling in those long passwords for you.

Are password managers safe?

It seems counterintuitive to store all your sensitive information in one place. One hack could mean you lose it all to an attacker and struggle for months or even years to rebuild your online presence, not to mention you may have to cancel credit cards and other accounts. But most experts in the field agree that password managers are a generally secure and safe way to keep track of your personal data, and the benefits of strong, complex passwords outweigh the possible risks.

The mechanics of keeping those passwords safe differs slightly from provider to provider. Generally, you have a lengthy, complex “master password” that safeguards the rest of your information. In some cases, you might also get a “security key” to enter when you log in to new devices. This is a random string of letters, numbers and symbols that the company will send you at sign up. Only you know this key, and because it’s stored locally on your device or printed out on paper, it’s harder for hackers to find.

These multiple layers of security make it difficult for an attacker to get into your vault even if your password manager provider experiences a breach. But the company should also follow a few security basics. A “zero-knowledge” policy means that the company keeps none of your data on file, so in the event of an attack, there’s nothing for hackers to find. Regular health reports like pentests and security audits are essential for keeping companies up to par on best practices, and other efforts like bug bounty programs or hosting on an open source website encourage constant vigilance for security flaws. Most password managers now also offer some level of encryption falling under the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). AES 256-bit is the strongest, because there are the most number of possible combinations, but AES 128-bit or 192-bit are still good.

Who are password managers for?

Given their universal benefit, pretty much everyone could use a password manager. They’re not just for the tech-savvy people or businesses anymore because so much sensitive information ends up online behind passwords, from our bank accounts to our Netflix watch history.

That’s the other perk of password managers: safe password sharing. Families, friends or roommates can use them to safely access joint accounts. Texting a password to someone isn’t secure, and you can help your family break the habit by starting to use one yourself, Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at National Cyber Security Alliance, said. Streaming is the obvious use case, but consider the shared bills, file storage and other sites you share access with the people around you as well.

Are password managers worth it?

You likely already use a password manager, even if you wouldn’t think to call it that. Most phones and web browsers include a log of saved credentials on the device, like the “passwords” keychain in the settings of an iPhone. That means you’ve probably seen the benefits of not having to memorize a large number of passwords or even type them out already.

While that’s a great way in, the downfall of these built-in options are that they tend to be device specific. If you rely on an Apple password manager, for example, that works if you’re totally in the Apple ecosystem — but you become limited once you get an Android tablet, Lujo Bauer, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and of computer science, at Carnegie Mellon University, said. If you use different devices for work and personal use and want a secure option for sharing passwords with others, or just don’t want to be tied to one brand forever, a third-party password manager is usually worth it.

How we tested

We tested password managers by downloading the apps for each of the nine contenders on iPhone, Android, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. That helped us better understand what platforms each manager was available on, and see how support differs across operating systems and browsers.

As we got set up with each, we took note of ease of use and how they iterated on the basic features of autofill and password generators. Nearly all password managers have these features, but some place limits on how much you can store while others give more control over creating easy-to-type yet complex passwords. From there, we looked at extra features like data-breach monitoring to understand which managers offered the most for your money.

Finally, we reviewed publicly available information about security specs for each. This includes LastPass, which more experts are shying away from recommending after the recent breach. For the sake of this review, we’ve decided not to recommend LastPass at this time as fallout from the breach still comes to light (The company disclosed a second incident earlier this year where an unauthorized attack accessed the company’s cloud storage, including sensitive data. Since then, hackers have stolen more than $4.4 million in cryptocurrency using private keys and other information stored in LastPass vaults.)

These are the password managers we tested:

1Password

Number of tiers: 4 | Pricing: $3/month for Individual, $5/month for Families, $20/month for Teams Starter Pack, $8/month per user for Business | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Command Line

Many security experts trust 1Password with their private information and, after testing it out, it’s clear why. The service includes industry standard encryption, a “secret key” that only you know on top of your master password, a zero-knowledge policy that means it keeps no data, and other security features like frequent audits, two-factor authentication and a bug bounty program. That said, 1Password did fall victim to a recent cybersecurity incident that’s worth noting. 1Password detected suspicious activity on its Okta instance, but an investigation “concluded that no 1Password user data was accessed.” 1Password now also supports passkeys, which are credentials stored in your most used devices that are protected by biometric authentication (like fingerprints or facial recognition) or PINs.

1Password has a pretty intuitive user interface across its mobile and desktop apps. A tutorial at download helps you import passwords from other managers onto 1Password so that you don’t feel like you’re starting over from scratch. It also clearly rates the strength of each password and has an “open and fill” option in the vault so that you can get into your desired site even more quickly. We also liked the user-friendly option to scan a set up code to easily connect your account to your mobile devices without too much tedious typing.

At $3 per month, the individual subscription comes with unlimited passwords, items and one gigabyte of document storage for your vault. It also lets you share passwords, credit card information and other saved credentials. If you upgrade to the family plan for $5 each month, you’ll get to invite up to five people (plus more for $1 each per month) to be a part of the vault.

Pros

  • Zero-knowledge policy
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Available across most platforms

$3 at 1Password

Bitwarden

Number of tiers: 3 | Pricing: Free, $3/month per user for Teams Organization, $5/month per user for Enterprise Organization | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Tor, DuckDuckGo for Mac, Command Line

Bitwarden’s free plan includes unlimited passwords on an unlimited number of devices, which is more than we’ve seen from some of its competitors. There are drawbacks like you can only share vault items with one other user, but we think that’s a fair tradeoff.

Bitwarden is based on open-source code, meaning anyone on GitHub can audit it, which is a good measure of security. On a personal level, it includes security audits of your information, like a data breach report, that can keep you in the know about when your passwords have been leaked and when it’s time to change them. Plus, it’s widely available across the platforms we tested, including Windows and iOS, with a level of customization, options to access your password vault and more. It also recently added passkeys to its vault and two-factor authentication options as a secure way to sign in.

Bitwarden may be the best free password manager, but it does have a paid version and we do think it’s worth it. At $10 annually for individuals or $40 for families, you unlock encrypted file storage, emergency access, unlimited sharing and more additional features. But the free version comes with the basics that can get anyone set up on password management easily.

Pros

  • Robust free version
  • Based on open-source code
  • Available across a wide variety of platforms
Cons

  • Free version can only share a vault with one other user

$0 at Bitwarden

NordPass

Number of tiers: 3 | Pricing: Free, $2/per month for Premium, $4/month for Family | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge

Across password managers we tested, cross-platform availability was relatively similar. Most are widely available across web browsers and different operating systems, including our other top picks on this list. But we wanted to give a nod to NordPass here because of how easy the service makes it to access your vault from any platform while keeping your data safe. NordPass even lets you use biometric data to sign in now, like your fingerprints or face, making it even easier to get into accounts across devices.

NordPass has a free option with unlimited passwords and syncs across devices. A $2-per-month premium plan keeps you logged in when switching devices, comes with security notifications and allows for item sharing. A family subscription comes with six premium accounts and only costs $4 per month. This makes it an excellent budget option as well. Besides the pairing code to connect accounts, NordPass is a pretty standard password manager. Scanning a code gets me from my laptop to mobile device to work computer super easily. If you’re constantly switching devices and those extra few seconds save your sanity, it’s worth considering.

Pros

  • Available across a wide variety of platforms
  • Relatively affordable
  • Allows for biometric logins

$2 at NordPass

Dashlane

Number of tiers: 4 | Pricing: Free, $3/month for Advanced, $5/month for Premium, $7/month for Friends and Family | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Opera

Dashlane has four subscription options: A free user gets access to a single device with unlimited passwords; an advanced user pays $3 per month to get upgraded to unlimited devices and dark web monitoring; for $5 per month, a premium user also gets VPN access and an $7.49-per-month family plan includes access for up to 10 subscribers.

It met all the criteria we looked for, but with a clear emphasis on sharing credentials. Dashlane highlights “secure sharing” starting at its free level, which is a functionality that some competitors keep behind a paywall. Other free features, however, recently took a hit. Dashlane limited the number of passwords users of the free version could store. Access for up to 10 members in a family plan is one of the bigger plans we’ve seen as well. While we were testing it, password sharing seemed front of mind with a tab dedicated to it in Dashlane’s browser extension. Arguably the biggest caveat here, though, is lack of Linux support.

Pros

  • Easy to securely share information with others
  • Free version includes robust sharing features
Cons

  • Free version supports a limited number of passwords
  • No Linux support

$3 at Dashlane

Other password managers we tested

LastPass

For a while, security experts considered LastPass a solid choice for a password manager. It’s easy to use, has a slew of helpful extra features and its free version gives you a lot. But we decided not to include LastPass in our top picks because of the high profile data breaches it has experienced over the past couple of years.

Keeper

Keeper met a lot of the basic criteria we tested for, like autofill options and cross-platform availability. We liked its family plan options, too, that can keep your whole household secure. But we didn’t think its extra features, like the encrypted messaging app, added much value. Plus, it has a self-destruct feature after five incorrect login attempts which, despite adding extra protection, could be a recipe for disaster for casual users.

Enpass

Enpass works well as an affordable password manager. That includes an inflation-beating “lifetime” access pass instead of a monthly payment for users really committed to the service. Still, it was confusing to set up across devices and because Enpass stores data locally, as opposed to in the cloud, we struggled to get started with it on mobile.

Norton

A familiar name in security, we were excited to test out Norton’s password manager. While it’s free, its features seem underdeveloped. It lacked password sharing, account recovery and complex form-filing tools that come standard in many of the other password managers we tested.

LogMeOnce

LogMeOnce comes with a wide range of premium tiers, from professional to family, that include different levels of storage and features. But when we tested, it lacked some basic cross-platform availability that other password managers had already, like compatibility with Mac and Safari.

FAQs

Why use a password manager?

Using a password manager can enhance your online security. They store all of your complex passwords and autofill them as needed, so that you can have unique, strong passwords across the web without remembering each of them yourself. In many cases, unique passwords are your first defense against attack, and a reliable manager makes it easier to keep track of them all.

Are password managers 100 percent safe?

Password managers are a secure way to store your credentials. Experts in the field generally agree that the benefits of accessibility when storing complex passwords outweigh the possibility of attack, like what happened with LastPass. But with any service, it can vary from provider to provider. You should look out for zero-knowledge policies, regular security audits, pentests, bug bounty programs and encryption when choosing the right secure password manager for you.

What if I forget my master password?

Forgetting a master password won’t necessarily lock you out for good, but the recovery process varies from provider to provider. Some services give you a “security key” at sign up to enter when you log into new devices. It can also be used to securely recover your account because it’s a random string of keys stored locally that only you have access to. Other services, however, have no way to recover your vault. So creating a master password that you won’t forget is important.

How can I make a good master password?

A good master password should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Experts often recommended thinking of it like a “passphrase” instead of a “password” to make it easier to remember. For example, you can take a sentence like “My name is Bob Smith” and change it to “Myn@m3isB0b5m!th” to turn it into a secure master password that you won’t forget.

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How to password protect a folder on Windows

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You would be forgiven for thinking that password-protecting your Windows account is enough to keep your files from falling into the wrong hands, but it really isn’t. The sad truth is that many people’s passwords can be cracked quite easily, and there is the fact that Windows does not encrypt data by default. This means that someone could simply remove your hard drive, connect it to another computer and access your files.

Thankfully, there is a way to not only password-protect, but also encrypt individual files or folders on your computer, adding a reassuring extra layer of security. And the good news is that this is an option that is built into Windows. There is no need to install additional software to boost your file security – although it is an option if you want. Anyone who is able to access your Windows account will be able to access the data, and this is why we’ve included a second method of protection. If you’ve ever wondered how to password protect a folder on Windows, here is what you need to know.

Quick steps for how to password protect a folder on Windows

  • Open advanced folder properties
  • Enable Windows’ built-in encryption
  • Use third-party software

Tools and Requirements

Step by step guide for how to password protect a folder on Windows

1. Access folder properties

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

Windows does not shout about the fact that it is possible to encrypt folders, so you will have to delve deep in order to find this option. Start by collecting together a series of files that you would like to protect and place them all in the same folder. You can then right-click the folder and select Properties, or click the … button in the toolbar and select Properties from the menu that appears.

2. Move to Advanced options

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

In the Properties dialog that appears, you will be able to see various attributes of the folder you have selected, such as the number of files it contains, its size, where it is located and so on. To start the process of adding password protect, make sure that you are on the General tab and then click the Advanced button in the Attributes section of the dialog.

3. Enable encryption

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

In the Advanced Attributes dialog that appears, look to the lower half in the Compress or Encrypt attributes section. Here you will find two options – one about compression and one about encryption – and it is only possible to enable one or the other. Tick the box labeled Encrypt contents to secure data and then click the OK button.

4. Confirm encryption options

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

Back at the Properties dialog for your selected folder, click the Apply button and you will see a Confirm Attribute Change dialog. You can choose to apply encryption to just the currently selected folder (Apply changes to this folder only), or to also apply it to all subfolders and files (Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files). Make the appropriate selection, and then click the OK button.

5. Your protected files

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

You should now be able to confirm that your files are protected by the fact that the folder now has a padlock on it. It will only be possible to access the data contained within the folder with the username and password for your Windows account – so when you are logged in, there is no need to enter a password. If you are not able to see this encryption option covered above, it means it is not available in your version of Windows which is why we’ll now look at a third-party option.

6. Download and install Free Folder Protector

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

The next option is to use a third-party tool, and we’re going to take a look at Free Folder Protector from Gilisoft. You can download this software here, and then run through the installation process in the usual way. This is free software that can be used on as many computers as you want without restrictions. There are other options included, but we’re just looking at password protection here.

7. Protecting your data

(Image: © Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson)

The first time you run Free Folder Protector, you’ll be asked to configure a master password –although this is limited in the free version of the software. To secure data, click Locking File under the Local Disk heading in the left-hand navigation pane and then either drag and drop a folder onto the app interface, or click the Lock Folder button and navigate to the folder you’d like to secure. Without your password, and files stored in this folder will be inaccessible.

Final Thoughts

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How to Change Your WiFi Password

change WiFi password

This guide will show you how to change your WiFi passwords. In today’s digital age, a secure internet connection is crucial. Our homes have become hubs for connected devices, from laptops and smartphones to smart speakers and appliances. Protecting this network with a strong WiFi password is paramount, both for safeguarding your data and preventing unauthorized access. But when was the last time you changed your WiFi password? If you can’t remember, or if you’re still using the default password provided by your internet service provider (ISP), it’s time to take action.

Why Change Your WiFi Password?

  • Security: Weak passwords are easy targets for hackers, leaving your devices and personal information vulnerable. Updating your password regularly minimizes this risk.
  • Control Access: Changing your password prevents unauthorized devices from connecting to your network, potentially slowing down your connection and raising security concerns.
  • New Devices: When adding new devices to your network, a unique password ensures they connect securely and don’t compromise the overall security.

Steps to Change Your WiFi Password:

  1. Gather Information:

    • Router IP Address: This is the unique address used to access your router’s settings. Check your router’s manual, label, or online documentation. Common addresses include 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.1.1.
    • Default Login Credentials: Most routers come with default usernames and passwords (often “admin” or “password”). These are usually printed on the router itself or in the manual. If changed, use your custom credentials.
  2. Access Router Settings:

    • Open a web browser on a device connected to your WiFi network (or use an Ethernet cable if you don’t know the password).
    • In the address bar, type your router’s IP address and press Enter. This should load the router’s configuration page.
    • Log in using the default or custom credentials.
  3. Locate Wireless Settings:

    • The specific menu names and layouts may vary depending on your router model. Look for options like “Wireless,” “WiFi Setup,” or “Security.”
  4. Change the Password:

    • Find the field labeled “Password,” “Passphrase,” or “Shared Key.”
    • Enter your new password. Here are some tips for creating a strong password:
      • Length: Use at least 12 characters.
      • Complexity: Combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
      • Avoid common words and personal information.
    • Save the changes.
  5. Reconnect Devices:

    • Since you’ve changed the password, all connected devices will be disconnected. Reconnect them manually using the new password.

Additional Tips:

  • Enable WPA2 encryption: This is the most secure encryption standard for home networks.
  • Disable WPS: This feature simplifies connection but can be vulnerable to attacks.
  • Consider a guest network: This provides temporary internet access to visitors without granting them access to your entire network.
  • Update your router’s firmware regularly: This ensures you have the latest security patches.
  • Don’t share your WiFi password with everyone: Only provide it to trusted individuals.

By following these steps and tips, you can easily change your WiFi password and strengthen your home network security. Remember, a secure network is a safe network, protecting your devices, data, and privacy. Check your router’s manufacturer’s website for specific instructions and support for your model. Many ISPs offer tools and guides to help manage your home network, including changing your WiFi password.

Image Credit: Misha Feshchak

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