From streaming entertainment to social media to our online bank accounts and software, we are inundated every day with the need to create and remember new passwords. In fact, one study revealed that Americans have an average of 130 online accounts registered to a single email address. And what are the chances that those 130 passwords are each unique and difficult to crack? Slim to none.
You’ve probably heard about the infamous Yahoo breach that came to light last year, in which hackers stole the credentials and other sensitive information of more than 1 billion users. For people who used their Yahoo password for other sites, those accounts were also compromised.
Unfortunately, many people admit their passwords are less secure than they should be. See for yourself:
So how, exactly, can we all be expected to create and remember an average of 130 unique passwords?
The best solution available today, offering both convenience and security, is a password manager.
What exactly is a password manager?
It is a type of application that can address all the above issues. Password managers come in the form of lightweight plugins for web browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and can automatically fill in your credentials after saving them in an encrypted database.
The major benefit of using a password manager is that you only need to remember a single master password. This allows you to easily use unique, strong passwords chosen for each of your online accounts. Just remember one strong password and the manager will take care of the rest.
Avoid these common password security risks:
- Typing passwords to login each time can be dangerous in itself. Malicious keyloggers designed to secretly monitor keystrokes can record your passwords as you type them. (You can eliminate these with good antivirus software.)
- Remembering multiple passwords, especially if you have carefully picked a password that is complicated. Most people tend to use the same or similar passwords for different accounts, which means that if one password is exposed, criminals can log into all those accounts.
- Storing passwords in a document or writing them down, which creates a very high risk of being affected by a breach or simply losing the information.
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UPDATE: The Webroot Password Manager upgrade is here—now powered by LastPass, the most trusted password manager! Get access to quality-of-life features including the password vault, access on ALL devices, auto-fill and save, emergency access, and more.
Current users, learn how to switch to LastPass here: https://wbrt.io/577b2
New users, learn how to set up your LastPass account here: https://wbrt.io/snbmz
Many password managers are actually security risks themselves, and are conduits for adware and malware. If you are going to recommend using a password manager, perhaps you can recommend some clean ones and evaluate their pros and cons?
Hello, Michael!
Our Internet Security Plus and Complete subscriptions both include a Password Manager powered by LastPass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpO77628ih4
You can get information on all of the features of our Password Manager in our User Guide.
Feel free to email me directly if you have any other questions I can help address!
SocialCare@Webroot.com
Best Regards,
Josh P.
Digital Care Coordinator
Hi Josh,
I’m getting to the point in life where I require a 20-year-old, or Geek Squad service to get my Bose system to play while the television is on; that makes me feel sad.
Would I need to configure the password manager on my laptop, and then 2. home pc 3. iPhone in order to ditch my note containing my 130 different passwords in it? I haven’t installed Webroot on my iPhone. Apples seem to have the least virus/malware/hacker problems, and I didn’t want to fix it since it hasn’t ever broken.
Hi Shawn,
Once your Passwords are configured, they are accessible from any device in the World using the credentials for your Online Account.
I highly recommend you utilize the help of our Customer Support Team. They’re always glad to help!
Support Number: 1-866-612-4227 M-F 7am−6pm MT
Send a Support Ticket
I have entrusted a limited number of passwords to the password manager in Webroot’s Secure Anywhere.
What I have found is that many sites (e.g. Amazon) will on occasion resist auto-fill by the password manager, so I have to look it up anyway, which defeats the purpose. Thus I cannot use the password manger feature that automatically creates complex passwords.
Presently, I have two password buckets, one for moderate to low risk passwords that I let the manager auto-fill and a separate bucket hyper sensitive group (Fidelity brokerage, Social Security Admin, Webroot, Complete ID (Experian) where I have either memorized or hidden lengthy and complex passwords. And it will stay that way until my confidence goes up.
In the mean time, NEVER EVER log in to any site on a public WIFI.
I have Mozilla Firefox. It updated and couldn’t support the manager. Has this been corrected and if so how do I get the manager back? I sorely missed it.
Sheryl, please reach out to our Support Team if you’re having issues. They’ll be glad to help get your Password Manager back for you.
Support Number: 1-866-612-4227 M-F 7am−6pm MT
Send a Support Ticket
After the Equifax hack and other ‘high value targets’ for hackers, I would need much more assurance to place all my passwords into a single location. I do use and trust Webroot, but the risks have become too high to use yet another ‘secure’ vault.
I am interested in the webroot password manager, but I am retired and on a smaller, fixed income. Is it affordable and safe?
Please reach out to our Sales Team and they’ll be glad to walk you through all of our Product offerings.
Sales Number: 1-866-612-4268 M-F 7am−8pm MT
Lastpass is great.
When I send my computer in for maintenance or it over for remote access for maintenance, the only thing between and access to all my passwords in the Webroot password. How do I protect myself from that?
Please direct all questions or concerns related to your Security to our Customer Support Team.
Support Number: 1-866-612-4227 M-F 7am−6pm MT
Send a Support Ticket
I use your password manager for all the reasons you say. However if I’m attacked by a keylogger or if Lastpass is hacked the attacker will have my master password and will be able to use it to access all my accounts. Comments please.
Bernard, all Passwords are stored in an encrypted format, meaning they would still need to decrypt the passwords to Plain Text Format in order to utilize any of the information.
I cannot get my password manager to work. I’ve configured the password manager and try to put in the URL for the website I wish to add but when I click on the website on the password manager it turns the words red and won’t open. I do get a balloon which comes up and says go to abc website for example but nothing happens. It shows that I have visited the requested sites but I haven’t. I just put webroot on my computer again after 2 years of using other software and now I remember why I switched. This is a very frustrating and non-user friendly protection suite. Ugh!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention!
I’ve gone ahead & created a support case on your behalf with our Team so they can provide you with the best assistance possible.
~JP~