By Tracey Dowdy
Still using your birthday as your password? Your child’s birthday? Your anniversary? That’s what a friend of mine that works in online security refers to as “One, two, three, four, come on hackers, open the door” kind of protection.
During this season when so many of us are working from home, secure passwords are more important than ever. If you’ve been online for years, the prospect of securing all those accounts may seem daunting. But, the risk of leaving your personal information vulnerable to hackers far outweighs any potential cost or inconvenience. That’s why you need to start using a Password Manager which serves as an encrypted database of all your passwords. Instead of writing them on post-it notes you’ll lose or saving hem in a note or memo on your phone which could be lost, stolen, or hacked, do yourself a favor and remember one – the one that unlocks the vault – your password manager.
Here are three of the best options out there.
LastPass remembers all your passwords across devices for free. It’s particularly useful for online shopping as once you’re logged in, LastPass auto-populates all the necessary fields, and allows you to store more than just passwords to your online accounts – you can store insurance cards, memberships, and Wi-Fi passwords and safely share passwords and notes with sensitive information with anyone via encrypted text. There are paid versions, but the free version offers everything the average user will need.
Zoho Vault is great if you have to share access within a workgroup. Passwords are encrypted with the strongest encryption standard (AES-256); enables you to provide passwords to users and groups in bulk while instantly denying access to any user who is removed; enables direct connection to websites and apps without having to manually enter login credentials; allows you to grant different access privileges to select individuals; and generates reports to keep track of which users have access to various passwords. There are free and paid versions with a 15-day free trial on paid editions.
Dashlane syncs across all your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, provides all the essential and advanced password management features of many pricier versions, includes VPN protection, and will even scan the Dark Web for compromised accounts and capture your online shopping receipts. The biggest downside is the cost. Though there is a free version, some of the features users really want are only included in the paid versions, and there is limited support for Internet Explorer users.
Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.
If you need an extra set of eyes in your home, the Dropcam Pro might be just what you’re looking for. Just set it up in the desired location and connect it to your home network. Dropcam Pro has both a camera and built-in mic and speaker, so you can see and hear what’s happening and even communicate with people in the room. Night vision allows you to see in the dark and you can schedule the Dropcam Pro to send you email alerts when it detects motion or sound. You can even backup recordings to the cloud, so you can watch them later.
You may have heard of Nest thermostats but Nest also makes a smoke and carbon monoxide detector called Nest Protect. One of the best features of Nest Protect is that it doesn’t just beep at you when there’s a problem; it also adds a human voice to give you additional information. For example, It can tell you if there is smoke or carbon monoxide and in what room. Studies have shown that children can sleep through beeping alarms, so the human voice warning can help wake your children in the event of an emergency. Just like the Nest thermostat, the Nest Protect works with an app, so you can check in when you are away from home. Nest Protect even includes some tips on what to do in case of an emergency.
Back in the old days, we could plug lamps into bulky timers to make them go on and off at certain times. While they served a purpose, we now have much smarter devices that can act as timers and more. The Belkin WeMo Light Switch is Wi-Fi enabled and allows you to turn lights on and off from anywhere, including another room, the backyard, or even from the beach when you are on vacation.With the smartphone app, you can check to see if the lights are on or off, program the lights to turn on and off at sunrise and sunset, and more. On the wall the Belkin WeMo Light Switch is backlit, so it makes it easier to find in the dark. Think of the electricity you can save by turning off the lights that the kids left on – again.
The Kwikset Kevo is the latest in smart locks from a company that has been around for years. With the new Kevo, you can still use a traditional key but you can also use your smartphone via the Kevo app or specially programmed key fob if the younger members of your family don’t have a smartphone. This makes it easier than fumbling for traditional keys. If you need to let in the repairman or the babysitter, you can create an “electronic key” and send it to the individual’ smartphone. The Kevo comes in a choice of different finishes and it uses multiple levels of encryption to ensure the electronic signal can’t be duplicated.
Connected devices can even help keep your pets secure. The Tagg Pet Tracker attaches to your pet’s collar and uses GPS location and wireless technology to help find your pet using a computer or mobile device. Tagg can also alert you by text message or email if your pet strays from a pre-set boundary like a backyard or park. Once you receive the alert, you can quickly pinpoint your pet’s location on a map. If that wasn’t enough, you can even use it to track your pet’s activity to see if they are getting enough exercise!
How often do you misplace your keys? Attach the HTC Fetch to your key ring (or anything else you want to keep tabs on) and you can quickly tap on the app to find them via Google Maps. If you misplace your phone, you can press the button on the Fetch and it will activate your phone’s ringtone if it is within a 50 feet radius.