Practical Guide to Password Managers

Why Password Managers Matter

In today’s digital world, most of us have dozens of online accounts — from banking to shopping to social media. Using the same password everywhere, or easy-to-guess ones, makes it much easier for cyber criminals to break in and steal your identity, money or data.

That’s where password managers come in.

A password manager is like a secure digital vault that remembers all your passwords for you. You only need to remember one strong master password to unlock everything. The password manager then fills in your passwords securely whenever you log in.

What a Password Manager Does

Stores your passwords securely

It keeps all your usernames, passwords and login info in one encrypted place — so you can stop re-using the same password for everything.

Creates strong, unique passwords

Good ones can generate complex passwords for every account so each one is unique — meaning a breach on one site doesn’t compromise the rest.

Autofills logins across devices

It can automatically fill in your login details on websites and apps, saving time and avoiding typos.

Highlights weak or repeated passwords

Many managers alert you if a password is weak, reused or if a service you use has been compromised.

Risks and How to Use Them Safely

Password managers are much safer than re-using passwords — but they are still a

target for hackers. Here’s how to maximise your safety:

Use a very strong master password

This is the key to your whole vault. Make it long and memorable — but hard for others to guess.

Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA or 2FA)

MFA adds a second step (like a code on your phone or fingerprint) when you log in. It stops almost all automated account attacks.

Research before choosing.

Pick a reputable password manager that supports MFA, automatic alerts and syncing across your devices.

Be wary of phishing.

Cyber criminals may try to trick you into giving up your master password. Never enter it on suspicious sites or into unexpected messages.

Choosing the Right Password Manager

There’s no one “best” password manager — but here’s what to look for:

✔ Uses strong encryption (e.g., AES-256)

✔ Offers trusted multi-factor authentication (MFA)

✔ Works across desktop, mobile and browsers

✔ Gives alerts about weak/reused passwords

✔ Has a solid privacy policy

Some popular choices (often reviewed positively) include secure open-source and paid tools. Always check current reviews and security audits before signing up. For example, check out this review on WIRED from earlier this year.

Quick Tips (Summary)

Do this:

✔ Create strong unique passwords

✔ Store them in a password manager

✔ Enable MFA everywhere you can

✔ Update passwords after leaks

✔  Visit Cyber Security Australia for all the latest news

Avoid:

❌ Writing passwords on sticky notes

❌ Using the same password across sites