IT basics · Lesson 6 of 6 · About 10 minutes
Protect your sign-ins
Study the required lesson, then use the four questions to check your understanding.
Required reading
Password managers · UK National Cyber Security Centre · Free reading, no account needed.
Read the introduction and manager features, “Be careful about saving passwords on shared devices”, protection of the primary password, and “What about passkeys?”.
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Optional ITForMe explanation and example
Use a different password for each account. Reusing one password lets a breach at one service threaten other accounts that use it.
A password manager can generate and store different passwords. Protect the manager itself with a strong primary password and two-step verification where available. Passkeys are another sign-in method; use them when the service and your devices support them.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA), also called two-step verification in many services, adds another sign-in check. It makes stolen passwords less useful, but does not make an account immune to every attack.
Do not save your personal passwords in a shared computer's browser. Other users may be able to access saved sign-ins. Sign out when you finish using the device.
Example: A shopping site loses account passwords. Your email uses a different password and a second sign-in factor. The shopping password cannot be reused directly to sign into your email.
Check your understanding
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