If you’re anything like us, you can’t seem to keep track of all your passwords. Whether you’re banking online and need to reset your password for every new website, or you’re just forgetful and need to make a conscious effort to change your passwords more often, you’re not alone. While there are many password management services out there, Google’s own personal password manager, known as Google Password Manager, has become a de-facto standard. It’s not just a great way to keep track of all your passwords, but it’s one of the safest ways to manage them, too. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to master Google Password Manager and keep your sensitive information secure.

Set up 2-Factor Authentication

When using Google’s password manager, you’re able to store all your passwords in one place. That way, if your phone is hacked or stolen, your passwords are safe. To make sure someone else can’t access your account, however, you also have to have a second layer of protection. This can be done in a few different ways, but one of the best is through 2-Factor Authentication (2FA).

What is 2FA?

2FA is a security feature that requires a second factor – usually something you’re physically holding – in addition to your password in order to log into your account. Google’s password manager supports several 2FA methods, including code generated on a smartphone app, a physical security key, or a virtual security key that’s generated within a Google account. After setting up 2FA and syncing your security keys, you’ll need to enter your password once before it’s automatically logged into your account.

Don’t Use the Same Password Everywhere

One of the best ways to keep your passwords safe is to use different passwords for different sites. If someone were to hack your account and gain access to all your online accounts, they can use that information to try to hack other accounts.

Password safety is one of the most important cybersecurity practices you can implement, but it’s also one of the most overlooked. The first thing most people do when they set up a new online account is to use the same password they’ve used on every other site they’ve ever visited. But that’s a huge mistake: Every account you use should have a different, unique password.

Use a password manager

One of the easiest ways to keep your passwords safe and maximize your security at the same time is to use a password manager. These services store all your passwords for you, so you only have to remember one.

The most popular password managers include LastPass, 1Password, and Master Password, with the most recent report from Statista estimating that the top five password managers were used by approximately 71% of internet users. The majority of people use a single password manager, with just over 15% of internet users reporting that they use multiple password managers.

Limit Credit Card Processing

When you’re processing credit card payments through Google Payments, you have the option of using your credit card details in the browser to make payments. But is this really the best way to do it?

When you process payments this way, your credit card information is stored in Google password manager secure payments infrastructure — in other words, it’s not stored on your computer. As a result, someone could hack into your computer, steal your credit card numbers, and then have full access to your online accounts.

That means it’s important to protect your computer with good security measures — like using a good password manager — but it’s also important to protect your credit card information by storing your credit card information offline (like in a spreadsheet or in a file on your external hard drive).

Use Google Apps for Business

One of the best ways to keep your passwords safe and your data secure is to use two-factor authentication on your Google account.

However, this is only one layer of protection. Users should also be using two-factor authentication on their Google Apps for Business accounts, as these accounts are even less secure than an individual account.

Use Virtual Private Networks (VPN)

Although 2FA is a great way to protect your Google account and ensure that only you have access to it, it’s also important to protect your data with a good VPN. Before you log into any online services that you don’t trust, including the internet, the workplace, and your office network, you should use a VPN to encrypt your data and protect your network traffic.

VPNs don’t just protect your data while you’re using the internet — they also protect your data while connected to your network at work. That way, even if someone hacks into your computer while logged in, they won’t be able to access your data if they’re on the same local network, either.

Keep Your Software Updated

The last thing you want to do when it comes to protecting your data is to allow the software to run in the background without any protection, ever. This includes things like auto-updates for your operating system, antivirus software, and browser plugins.

And while most of these can be configured in a way that only runs them when you’re actively using them, it’s still important to keep them as safe as possible. The best way to do this is to only enable software updates when you have a good reason (like when it’s time for a software update for your device).

Don’t Use Pop-Up Or Banner Ads for Your VPN

Many people log into their VPNs after they’ve connected to their network, but before they’ve fully logged out of the internet. But what happens then is that your computer has all of your internet activity logged into a file, from your VPN connection to your Google account. That file can then be used by hackers to gain access to your account, so the best way to protect your data is to use a VPN that doesn’t track your data.

One way to find out which VPNs don’t track your data is by looking at their privacy policy. If a VPN doesn’t have a privacy policy, you can file a report with the VPN company that allows you to do so anonymously and get a refund if they don’t protect your data.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that even with the best cybersecurity practices in place, it’s still possible for your data to be accessed, changed, or deleted by hackers. This is why it’s so important to be careful with what you do online.

If you want to protect your data from hackers and keep your passwords safe, we recommend using Google’s password manager. It’s not only a great way to keep track of all your passwords, but it’s also one of the safest ways to manage them.