Secure password with 1Password, Best Password Manager

Last updated Jun 27, 2021

Password managers are the easiest way to secure all your online accounts at once. In this guide, I’ll help you to secure passwords with the Best Password Manager.

Password managers are essential tools when protecting yourself against cybercrime. These simple software applications work by storing your logins in an encrypted database and then using that database to sync your passwords across devices. Password managers are basic in premise, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences between them. Let us explroe 1Password the Best Password Manager available today.

1Password, The Best Password Manager

1Password is one of the better password managers out there thanks to its ease of use and excellent security. From the features to the user interface to the unique security model, 1Password stands above other password managers available today.

In this 1Password review, I am going to detail my experience after taking a test run. For the short answer, 1Password is one of the best password managers around. Even though the price isn’t high, a limited free plan would be nice to see.

How to Secure Your Password?
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Strengths & Weaknesses

Pros:

Easy to use
Inexpensive
Excellent security
Travel mode
Standalone version
Excellent family plan

Cons:

No free plan
Limited sharing on personal plans

Recomended Read: Best Free Encryption Software to Protect Your Data

Features

1Password is rich with features. From a standalone Google password manager extension to a few clever features for keeping you safe while traveling, 1Password is packed full.

That starts with travel mode, which allows you to lock your passwords while on the go. Whenever you turn it on, every vault in your 1Password account will be locked. If you’re traveling internationally and the border police inspect your device, the necessary keys aren’t there to unlock your vault, even with your password.

The way it works is simple: When you turn on travel mode, the local data on your device will be deleted. Of course, your passwords are still stored in the cloud, but your device won’t retrieve them until you turn the mode off.

1Password X: The Standalone Extension for Chrome and Firefox

One of 1Password’s strongest features is 1Password X. It’s the full 1Password experience but based entirely on Chrome or Firefox. Although 1Password isn’t the only option with a Chrome extension, the fact that it can run independently of a local app is big.

That means you can use 1Password on any operating system that supports Firefox or Chrome. Although the 1Password app officially supports only macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android, you can access the full list of features by using X. That opens up support to Linux and ChromeOS, which are two platforms most password managers skip past.

The standard fare of features is present in the browser extensions, including autofill, password capture, and password generation. Beyond that, though, you can use 1Password X to organize your vaults, view and edit entries, search through your vault, and use Watchtower. 1Password even bakes in a list of hotkeys to make the browsing experience more seamless.

The 1Password Watchtower

Watchtower, a security dashboard that shows reused, vulnerable and weak passwords. This makes 1Password the best password manager amongst all available software. From your Watchtower, you can view passwords that have been compromised and change them right away.

Watchtower also points out vulnerable websites. In most cases, a website will show up as unsecured when there are HTTP and HTTPS versions that support autofill. Although it’s not the end of the world, knowing that certain sites could put you at risk is nice.

1Password Features Overview

2FA
Encryption: AES-256
Zero-knowledge
2FA keys: No
Security analysis
Multi-device sync
Backup and recovery: No
Mobile apps
Password changer: No
Password generator
Browser extension
Autofill
Form auto-fill
Browser UI
Desktop UI
Email
Live chat: No
Phone: No
Help center
Forums
24/7 Support

User Friendliness

Signing up for 1Password is simple. You’ll choose a plan, enter your email address and verify with a six-digit code sent to that address. 1Password asks for a credit card before you create your account, but you don’t have to enter one. If you choose to just use the free trial, your account will be locked after 14 days.

1Password will get to work right away generating your emergency kit. This document, which you can save as a PDF, includes your email address, 128-bit secret key, and master password.

If you need to access your account but forgot your master password, you’ll need your emergency kit. We recommend storing it digitally with encryption software, as well as printing it and storing it in, say, a safety deposit box.

After saving, you can use the 1Password vault in your browser. There are a few things already set up for you. 1Password includes links to download the local applications, as well as three items in a “starter kit.” Those include your 1Password master password, a note on getting set up, and an identity card with the information you provided during signup.

Managing 1Password Vaults and Entries

1Password allows you to use as many vaults as you want. You can categorize all of your entries into different vaults. The organization just starts there. When adding a new entry, which we’ll get to in a minute, you can specify the category that entry should live in. More than that, though, you can break up entries using tags and favorites.

Adding Entries to 1Password

Adding entries to 1Password is a breeze. After choosing the vault you want to store the entry in, you just need to click the “plus” icon at the bottom of the screen.

As mentioned, 1Password will ask for the category you want to store the password in. Although you can’t set your categories, there are a lot to choose from, including passports, rewards programs, and software licenses.

New categories will automatically be added to the categories menu on the left side. Things get exciting once you add a new password. With a clear dedication to flexibility, you can add as many fields and/or sections that you want to a 1Password entry.

Furthermore, you can add notes and tags to the entry. As you can see in the screenshot above, which features the software license template, 1Password will recommend some fields to you. However, you’re free to change, delete or add as many fields as you want.

Using 1Password on Android and iOS

1Password’s usability goes beyond the desktop. Thanks to its excellent iPhone and Android apps. Although the mobile app serves its purpose for autofill and general password management, you can also access Watchtower and travel mode on the go.

Security

1Password has zero knowledge of the master password. As we’ll get to in a minute, your master password is never sent to the server, encrypted or not.

That’s only half of the equation with 1Password, though. When you download the app, 1Password generates a 128-bit secret key, which is stored locally. This key, along with your master password and a salt, is run through a key derivation function (PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256), which is used to authenticate your account.

Using the secret key with your master password is what 1Password calls Blur. That means there are two elements needed to unlock your AES-256 encrypted vault.

Has 1Password Ever Been Hacked?

Thankfully, 1Password has never suffered such a hack. Even if 1Password were to be hacked, there’s nothing stored on its servers that’s crackable.

As 1Password points out, the largest issue with password managers is the sign-in process, that being how the password manager authenticates you and unlocks your encrypted data. For most, the process works like this: Your master password is used to generate a key, which is sent over an encrypted connection to authenticate you.

With 1Password, that’s not enough. In addition to the two-secret key derivation idea, 1Password employs protection through a secure remote password (SRP) layer in the network chain, which happens before transit.

1Password generates a verifier value based on a salt, your secret key, and your master password. That verifier is checked against the server to authenticate your device. For those who are having trouble following along, this means your master password, even in an encrypted form, never leaves your device.

Built on Open Standards

1Password has some clever security methods, but it’s nothing that’s not publicly available. It’s clear that the 1Password security architecture is built on open data formats, those being OPVault and Agile Keychain. Although developed by 1Password, its data format is not kept secret. Anyone can develop tools to read the format.

That doesn’t make your passwords less secure — you’ll still need to decrypt the file — but the risk of vendor lock-in is lost. If 1Password were to ever go away, developers can still create tools to read the 1Password file format, meaning your 1Password license isn’t void. There are a few open-source tools available already.

Thank you for reading this guide on Secure password with 1Password, The Best Password Manager.

1Password, Best Password Manager – FAQ

· How to Use 1Password

1Password is easy to use. Simply go to the website, sign up for an account and head to the vault. There, you can organize entries, create and manage separate vaults, as well as import passwords from Chrome, LastPass, and more. Now your passwored are secured with

· Is 1Password safe?

Yes, 1Password is safe. It uses two keys to authenticate your account, effectively doubling the security that you’d get with other password managers. Additionally, it implements an extra layer of protection when you log in, which allows 1Password to authenticate without ever seeing your master password.

· Is 1Password Free?

No, 1Password is not free. There’s a 14-day free trial offered to all new members, but no ongoing free plan. That said, the price is cheap at only $3 per month for a single user and $5 per month for a family of five.

1Password