Why you should use a password manager in 2025, and how it protects you from getting hacked

Does 123456 look familiar?

Probably because you’re using it as a password. You and 23 million others.

There have been a lot of high-profile data breaches in the news recently, so it’s a good time to review your passwords, and perhaps make some changes.

Hint: if you’re using

123456
123456789
qwerty
password

as any of your passwords, it’s definitely time to make some changes!

Why is password management software important?

The average person has upwards of 100 passwords, so we can excuse ourselves for sometimes using something easy to remember, or the same password across a couple of accounts for expediency.

But a secure password is the easiest way to protect yourself and your business from online fraud. A hacker can crack an easy password in seconds using an automated tool, but a strong password can take up to 400 years to break.

Experts recommend that your passwords have at least 11 characters, including numbers and special characters. Length is more important than complexity when it comes to creating strong passwords. The harder it is for you to remember, the harder it is for a hacker to crack it. But, remembering 100 secure, 11-character passwords is, of course, impossible. We all know the pain of trying and failing to login to an account and having to reset your password. Every. Single. Time you visit that site.

Password management software is the ideal solution.

What are the benefits of a password manager tool?

80% of people don’t use password software, but it can be your best defence against fraud, as well as saving you time and energy as you essentially try to hack into your own accounts.

Your management tool can create long, complex passwords for you, remember them and autofill login fields, so you no longer have to remember them or store them on a Post-it, or worse, shared Google doc! And if you change a password and enter it into your tool, all your devices will be synchronised, so no need to manually update across your phone, laptop and other devices.

How do password generators work?

Password managers come with built-in generators that let you instantly create secure, randomised passwords. You can customise these to your preferences, like adjusting the length, symbols, or numbers so you can make sure they’re both secure and compatible with different sites.

It can also let you know if and where you’re using the same password across multiple accounts and prompt you to change them for different and more secure ones. This will help prevent ‘password stuffing’, where a hacker will use a password of yours that they have already cracked and apply it to other popular sites in the hope of hacking them as well.

Your password manager app can help prevent phishing attacks too. If you’re sent an email by a scammer pretending to be a trusted service that asks you to click a link to steal your credentials, your password manager won’t automatically enter your logins: it will only work for the specific, real sites.

Not only will your password manager store your logins, but it can also store other sensitive information like bank details so you have them recorded securely within easy reach. It will also alert you if any of your logins have been compromised in a security breach, like the recent Marks and Spencer hack, nudging you to change them.

Your secure passwords checklist

• Use a password manager
• Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible
• Never reuse passwords
• Change passwords after any breach notification
• Use a strong master password (longer = better)

Last but not least! Depending on your plan, you can share your passwords securely with your team and your Virtual Assistant to access business accounts safely.

Is a password management tool safe?

Storing all your passwords in one place might sound risky, but the likelihood of a password manager being compromised is extremely low, whereas the risk of your email being hacked is surprisingly high.

Your details are kept safe by being encrypted. Your plain-text passwords are never stored, they’re only accessible via your master password, which is a secure, long, complex credential usually of more than 20 characters (and yes, your password manager can help you generate that too).

Why we recommend 1Password

At Upsource, we choose to work exclusively with 1Password because: 

• Industry-leading security: End-to-end encryption keeps your data safe
• Seamless syncing: Access your passwords across all your devices effortlessly
• Great for business: Ideal for teams with secure password sharing and role-based permissions
• Breach alerts: Get notified if any of your credentials are compromised
• Travel Mode:Temporarily removes sensitive data when crossing borders
• User-friendly interface: Easy for both tech-savvy users and beginners
• Reliable performance: We’ve tested many tools, and 1Password is the one we trust daily

1Password is the only password management software we confidently recommend to clients. Find out more here.

What about Apple Keychain or Google Password Manager?

Both of these are free password managers and of course are better than nothing! But they lack the features of a “full service” management tool. You also can’t easily use your passwords across devices and are only secure if your device isn’t shared.

They also have the drawback of not being able to share passwords with team members, your family, or your VA.

Business owners, take note!

Password managers aren’t just for individuals. Teams and businesses can:

• Share logins securely with staff, freelancers, or Virtual Assistants
• Control who has access to what with role-based permissions
• Monitor password health across the organisation
• Remove access quickly if someone leaves
  

Helpful resources

If you’re worried about whether your data has been breached, or want to know more about data security best practices, check out these sites

• HaveIBeenPwned.com: Check if your email or passwords have been part of a breach
• NIST Guidelines on Passwords: Government-approved best practices
• National Cyber Security Centre: Top tips for staying secure online
• Your password manager’s support page for guides on getting started

How can I improve the security of my passwords?

Of course, our answer is to use a password management tool!

But you can make your accounts even more secure by making your management software master password as impenetrable as possible and setting up two-step authentication across all your accounts where it’s available. We love the Google Authenticator App which is cross platform compatible.

How your Virtual Assistant can help

Your VA can help you keep your digital life secure and stress-free. From helping you set up and organise your password manager, to securely storing and managing access to business accounts, your VA will make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. 

Using tools like 1Password, your VA can share passwords safely, manage user permissions, and keep track of when credentials need updating, without you needing to get involved. It’s a smart, secure way to delegate admin while you keep complete control over your digital security.

If you’re ready to get set up on a password management software, a Virtual Assistant can help. Get in touch and Caroline will match you with the perfect VA for your needs.