Performing a Password Security Audit With a Password Manager

With the uptick in data breaches in the last few years, it’s fundamental to regularly perform a password security check to reduce the risk of being prey to cyberattacks.

A password security audit is a crucial tool typically included in password managers. It thoroughly analyzes a person or organization’s private passwords to confirm they conform to security guidelines.

These audits can inspect hundreds of passwords simultaneously and identify weak, reused, predictable, or compromised credentials. Users who enhance password safety by regularly executing these audits substantially reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

The best part is that these audits are executed automatically, putting the bulk of the work in the tool’s hands. For example, it scans for hacked credentials by cross-referencing them against exposed data of previous breaches.

The importance of password audits is unmatched when it comes to cybersecurity, especially considering what it can flags:

• Reused passwords: Passwords duplicated across accounts.
• Weak passwords: Passwords that are vulnerable due to predictability. Weak password detection recognizes ineffective credentials by measuring their length and variety.
• Unused accounts: Accounts that haven’t been accessed for a certain period are monitored and users are advised to check them.
• Data breaches: Alerts are raised if credentials are found in databases of leaked usernames, email addresses, and passwords from known data breaches.
• Lack of two-factor-authentication (2FA): All accounts without 2FA enabled are flagged.
• Outdated password recovery methods: Missing recovery options for password recovery, such as security questions, backup email, phone number, or emergency contacts.

Password managers are available for individuals and businesses and usually offer unlimited storage for credentials. We can only imagine how daunting it would be to review every password manually.

This is the main reason for using a password manager for audits. They provide users with an effortless way to analyze passwords and continuously monitor them while protecting everything in an encrypted vault.

Password managers’ security features, such as password strength analysis, password health reports, and data breach monitoring, give users peace of mind that can’t be achieved without them.

Additionally, these tools often provide suggestions for resolving issues, which helps you save time and hassle. In brief, the benefits of password managers are clear: their security audits are the only way to be efficient in maintaining healthy password hygiene.

Password security audits are an excellent tool for password health checkups, but users shouldn’t rely solely on them. We recommend combining this tool with a few additional steps to secure passwords, as outlined in the following password security guide:

Check your password health score regularly to prevent issues from remaining unattended for too long. We recommend users audit passwords for security every three months.

Stop reusing passwords across accounts. While it’s convenient to do so, it increases vulnerability.

Create and update new passwords using a password generator. Most password managers offer password generators that allow you to create custom and strong passwords.

Use alternative authentication methods, such as Single Sign-On (SSO), One-Time Passwords (OTPs), passphrases, and passkeys.

Activate MFA options on all eligible accounts. This includes 2FA, biometrics, security tokens, and security questions.

Frequently check your password manager’s breach monitoring analysis. If any private data is exposed, it lets you take immediate action and change the breached passwords to avoid unauthorized access before it occurs.

With the rise of online services, it has become impossible for people to remember passwords for all their accounts. That’s unless they use the same one for all of them, which is strongly discouraged.

Password managers are game changers in this regard. Not only do they offer encrypted password storage for all credentials, but also numerous tools for managing them. In particular, password audits enhance breach prevention by regularly monitoring password security. This feature flags password vulnerabilities, such as duplicated, weak, short, and predictable credentials.

After receiving a password audit report, users can easily address the identified risks, thereby boosting data security. Most password managers include security audits, making them one of the most important tools for online safety in modern times. Be sure to use a password manager and start auditing your passwords today to guarantee your data is highly resilient against cyberthreats.