Ask LH: How Can I Make My Company Store Passwords More Securely?

Hi Lifehacker, it just struck me that my workplace is as bad as Sony when it comes to storing passwords, but I can’t think of an easy-to-use secure alternative that they would adopt. What do you recommend for this issue for SMEs? Thanks, Unsecured

Pictures: IsaArt (Shutterstock), jakeliefer, Wajahat Mahmood

Dear Unsecured,

There’s any number of solutions that could be used for the storage of passwords — a decent password management software tied into an infrastructure that implements proper password lengths would be a good start. Personally, I’m a fan of 1Password’s approach, but that undeniably works best within a Mac environment.

If your enterprise is particularly budget-centric a solution such as the open source Keepass could be a better bet. Anything’s better than no system, or a system of post-it notes underneath a monitor. Lifehacker’s guide to the best password managers could help here.

It strikes me, however, that with your particular situation, the issue is likely to be one that’s as much to do with corporate inertia, or possibly the inertia of your IT department as it is to make the needed changes.

Possibly getting friendly with the IT department and pointing out the issue, along with the issues of costs related to poor IT security management practices might be enough to stir them into action.

Cheers
Lifehacker

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