Over the years that I have been using the
Internet I have accumulated 111 Web sites that require at some
point or another, the use of IDs and passwords. And because
I am able to remember only about two or three of them, I have
been forced to store them on my computer for quick reference.
Against all recommendations, I have stored these IDs and passwords
in a non-secure program Outlook. Anyone who has access to my
computer could look up and gain access to any of the Web sites
and accounts that I use, including eBay, PayPal, my bank and
other important Web sites.
I finally realized that this was an unacceptable
practice and began looking for a secure way of storing this information.
After quite a bit of searching I found KeePass©, a free
open-source password manager or safe which helps you to manage
your passwords in a secure way. This program lets you save all
of your IDs and passwords in one database protected (locked)
by one master key. And because you only have to remember one
master key, it can be a long combination of letters and numbers.
The database is encrypted so that anyone gaining access to the
file will not be able to see your IDs and passwords.
To download KeePass, click on this link. Follow the
installation instructions to begin to use this fine free program.
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