Best Free and Paid Password Protection Services

First thing’s first: How does password theft happen? It’s surprisingly easy, and as with many tech issues, it’s more often a case of human error rather than tech wizardry. The Internet is composed of a vast number of sites, and almost all of them require some sort of log-in. Some of these sites, while looking legitimate, are actually phishing attempts. Click here to use the anti-hacking feature to block phishing attempts and malicious websites:

With phishing attempts, hackers often wait for someone to stumble upon them, input a password, and wham — if they have your name, and if you’ve used the password elsewhere, you’re already in trouble. If you use it for things like banking or email (the latter of which allows you to reset passwords on most sites) you’re in deep trouble. So, the first step to take is to use anti-hacking. But you should also be wary and read URLs carefully. The next step is to use a password protection service.

Read More: Massive Global Cyberattack Has Ties to the NSA

How it Works
Password protection services work by generating random strings of letter and numbers for each of your passwords, so they are all unique and complex. The service then remembers the password for you, because you probably don’t have a brain built for remembering multiple strings of random letters and numbers. By diversifying and making guessing tough, the services are an enormous safety net for your online adventures.

If you’re looking for a free option, LogMeOnce is a good choice. Instead of using a master password as most services do, LogMeOnce relies on other techniques. By routing through your smartphone, it can use a fingerprint or pin identification to ensure you are really you. It also has an option for a master password, if you feel unsafe using your phone.

Another good option is LastPass 4.0. LastPass allows you to take an active hand in your security. LastPass will check for weak passwords and help you change them, and it can even help search through your websites for sites that are known to have been compromised. From there it will help you change any passwords associated with said sites.

Of course, security is worth spending some money on, so there’s also the option of LastPass 4.0 Premium. Premium offers even more freedom and safety. Let’s say you want to allow someone to log in to one of your sites remotely, but don’t want them to know the password. Using LastPass Premium, you can grant them access and fully log them in, without ever allowing them to see what your password for the site is. With more freedom and safety, and for only $2 a month, LastPass Premium is a smart buy.