Saving Passwords in Browsers Isn’t Safe. Learn the Risks

Cybercriminals continue to refine their hacking skills, and small to midsized businesses need to focus on the minute details related to their cyber vulnerabilities. Managing passwords is far more complicated than it was in the past. A one-password-fits-all approach is an invitation to having a data breach. Also, your pet’s name and your birthday just don’t cut it as passwords anymore. Saving passwords in browsers is risky business too.

Password management is no longer a simple task. Password risks and the need for more complicated passwords have never been greater. But the mental task of remembering many strong passwords comprised of various characters across multiple platforms isn’t practical. Instead, password managers are software tools that help keep track of the passwords you use for multiple on and offline services and websites. Good password managers can generate strong, random, complicated passwords that are guaranteed to be more secure than any you create on your own.

Don’t Save Passwords in Browsers

Password managers can create strong passwords and efficiently store them. However, password managers built into your web browsers can create new cyber risks. If hackers can breach your built-in password manager, they might gain control of your computer and small business network, potentially stealing all of your passwords with just one cyberattack. Also, if all your passwords are stored in one unsecured place, a cybercriminal might be able to collect all your private data and steal your identity as well. In that instance, your browser password saver has become an “all access pass” for hackers.

Regarding password managers, the adage “you get what you pay for” applies. There are many free managers available to help with passwords. However, very few of them have sufficient cyber security to protect your passwords and other saved private data. Some of them are poorly designed apps that are “buggy” and slow down systems. Also, many cyberattacks have been launched through free fake password managers that might look safe and professional but are really designed to facilitate a network attack.

Today’s cyberattack target landscape becomes bigger by the minute with each new connected device. Cell phones and smart devices are all vulnerable network endpoints, through which many attacks are launched. IT technology has shaped our modern way of doing business. A professionally designed strong computer network is the essential supporting infrastructure responsible for helping companies run more smoothly, efficiently and seamlessly.

IT Consulting Services

Your passwords are the keys to your network and private data. Employing IT experts to set up and integrate all aspects of your system, including installing robust password managers, is money well spent. In addition, new system, network and software updates, established security protocols and strong cyber defenses should be in place at all times. By having a team of qualified IT specialists to support your system and network, you can minimize password risks. That team can plan and install your network, maintain and repair your computer hardware, train your staff, update all software when necessary, help with passwords and provide the best cyber security for all your devices and other network endpoints. We also suggest making the use of a password manager a condition of employment for all employees.

A Case Study to Keep You Awake at Night

The managing partner of a small restaurant chain in New York City didn’t think restaurants needed to be very concerned with cyber security. He thought hackers wouldn’t select his small group as a target. What the owner didn’t know was that his impression was flawed. The reality is that businesses that ignore cyber security make themselves the “low-hanging fruit” for hackers.

Company-wide, the bookkeepers, managers and chefs saved passwords using the built-in password saver on internet browsers.

One morning, the chef at one of the restaurants booted up to start her inventory and immediately found that everything was operating sluggishly. The screens were loading very slowly, and some were freezing. When the morning manager arrived, he noticed that he did not have a bank confirmation of the deposit transferred to their bank on the previous day. So, he called the bank and found it had no transaction record.

The general manager (GM) arrived at the restaurant to find the system completely down. She was also greeted by a disgruntled staff and voicemails from the GMs and chefs from the other restaurants in the chain. Their restaurants opened with servers taking orders with pads and pencils, copying their tickets on a copier and handing them to the chef. The restaurant chain had never been so disorganized and inefficient. The missing bank transfer was gone, rerouted to an offshore account by hackers.

The GM finally called in IT professionals, who got the restaurant network back up and safely running with the help of a cybersecurity team. However, it took significant time and money to mitigate the current cyber event and create proper defenses to ensure they are less likely to be attacked in the future.

Select an IT company that has cybersecurity specialists on staff, and one that specializes in customized computer network installation, maintenance and repair for small to midsized businesses. make sure their team of experts is comprised of top specialists in different areas of IT services, serving clients on site and remotely for Macs, PCs and all your connected devices, including new ones that are part of the ever-expanding IoT. They can answer all your IT questions from “How to find saved passwords on Macs?” to “Which password manager do you recommend?”

As your business grows, expands its network and adds more devices such as smart controls, smart devices, wireless access and remote access, your network's cybercrime vulnerability and need for cyber security will grow, too. In addition to maintaining the hardware, software and security, employee training and regular IT support must be ongoing. New users and new devices will require additional training to use those devices efficiently. Hardware and software installation and maintenance, repair, cyber security and network protection are inter-related concerns. They must be addressed consistently and proactively to best support the seamless operation of your company.

Call 877-GEEK-AID^® / 877-433-5243 to discuss how they can design, maintain and secure your SMB computer network, including helping you install the best password manager for your business rather than simply saving passwords in browsers.