Setting Up and Using a Password Manager

A password manager stores all passwords in an encrypted vault accessible with a single master password. This allows users to have unique, complex passwords for every service without needing to remember them — eliminating the habit of reusing passwords (the primary cause of credential-stuffing attacks). Recommended options for business use: Bitwarden (open source, self-hostable, low cost), 1Password (excellent UX, team features), LastPass (widely known but has had breaches — check current security posture before deploying). For Microsoft 365 environments, Microsoft Authenticator includes a built-in password manager. Deployment tips: install the browser extension so the manager auto-fills credentials on websites. Train users to save passwords immediately when creating new accounts. Set a strong, unique master password and enable MFA on the password manager vault itself. For shared credentials (team accounts), use the password manager's team/sharing features rather than emailing passwords. Conduct a quarterly review to remove credentials for departed employees and decommissioned services.