Privacy and security are now the topmost priorities for individuals and browser-makers alike. Not only do quality browsers help in protecting users’ privacy, but they also help them improve their password strength. Users can also crank up their privacy settings to dodge online tracking.
When it comes to user security and privacy, passwords play an important role. Many users are tempted to use the same passwords for their multiple accounts. But it’s very risky. So, make sure that you don’t have the same password for your email accounts, Facebook, Cox Gigablast WiFi, or whichever internet you have. It may be convenient but according to privacy protocols, this practice is dangerous for online security. In other words, the hacker just has to guess one password and he is good to hack all your accounts with the same password!
Why Browser Password Management Is So Useful
Having a single password means that if hackers are successful in accessing one of those accounts, they get access to all! And for anyone, this is the worst nightmare. So, what can Google Chrome and Safari do to help you? Both these browsers come equipped with handy privacy features and security tools to help you choose strong passwords. They would even warn you when you try to reuse these credentials or if they spot a data breach.
Let’s learn more.
Password Suggestions on Google Chrome
It is now a well-known fact that passwords that include easily guessable info are highly discouraged. Picking things like your nickname, date of birth, best friend’s name, pet’s name, social security number, and other similar stuff is like an invitation to hackers.
When you try to create a new account in Google Chrome, it will give you suggestions when you type into the password field. However, those suggestions won’t appear automatically. You will have to right-click?“Suggest Password.”?The browser will save your chosen login details whether you took their randomized password suggestion or not. A prompt will appear to notify you about it.
Syncing Login Details in Chrome
You can sync your login details in Chrome. Once synced, you will be able to use the same Google account across all your devices. All you have to do is to:
- Click the menu tab in Chrome
- Go to Settings
- Select Sync
- Google Services
Navigate back to the Settings page and then tap?Autofill. Click?Passwords?and from here you should see all the passwords that Chrome manages for you. Moreover, you can view, delete, or edit any of these passwords whenever you want. You can even make use of the search box if you need to find a specific password or username.
However, some people are not comfortable with this feature. It can feel like their privacy can be compromised if they allow access to this information. If you feel that way, you can simply continue with disabling the prompt that offers saving passwords for all the new accounts.
Check for Duplicates or Matches
There’s another handy feature in Chrome that you can take advantage of. While you are in the Passwords field, tap the option that says Check Passwords. Google will then check all your stored passwords for matches and duplicates against all publicly known data breaches. At this point, you may even get a prompt to enter your master Google password again.
You will see three sections in the results screen, namely:
- Reused passwords (similar or identical passwords for various accounts)
- Compromised passwords (the ones mentioned in data breaches)
- Weak passwords (the ones which are easily crack-able)
- You can click Change Password to change your details.
Password Suggestions on Apple Safari
Apple’s Safari also offers secure password checking and management features, just like Chrome. Furthermore, you can also use and access them across all your synced iOS devices.
Upon signing up for a website or app for the first time, you will get an option from Safari to create a password. To take advantage of Apple’s suggestions:
- Click “Suggest New Password” by clicking the small key with an arrow pointing downwards
- If you think that the suggested password is not strong enough, you can click “Don’t use”
- You can also select “Strong Password” for a new suggestion
- You can also come up with your own password
Syncing Login Details in Safari
Like Chrome, Safari also securely remembers all the login info and syncs it across all your iOS devices. It makes everything more convenient for the user. For instance, if you are signing into a website that Safari already has the details for, all the credentials will automatically appear. You just have to click the fields of username and password.
Wish to see the credentials that Safari is storing? Follow these steps:
- Open the menu on Safari
- Choose Preferences
- Click Passwords
- At this point, you will have to provide your Apple ID and password
- Or you will be asked on the Touch Bar to use your Touch ID button
- You will get access to the list of all the saved passwords
- They will be listed alphabetically according to the website URL
More Choices with Safari
If you are looking for something specific, you can always make use of the search box. Furthermore, you get to make any changes that you desire to the stored credentials in the database. All you have to do is to double-click on the entries and make changes. Moreover, you can:
- Delete the entries you want by tapping the Remove tab
- Don’t want automatic logging into various sites? Go to Safari’s?Autofill?tab
- Click?Preferences
- Uncheck?User names and Passwords
Check for Duplicates, Matches, or Weak Passwords
Like Chrome, Safari checks for duplicate and weak passwords too. You can also use this functionality on iOS. You can always change the weak and duplicate passwords to improve your privacy and security, based on your unique preferences.