My password manager switch from a local file to a cloud service

For years, I kept all my passwords in a single encrypted text file on my home computer. I figured it was safe because it was offline and I was the only one with the key. Then about a year ago, my hard drive failed completely. I had a backup, but it was two weeks old, and I spent a whole weekend trying to remember and reset logins for my bank, email, and even my electric bill. It was a huge pain. Now I use a cloud-based password manager. I know it feels weird trusting a company with that data, but the convenience and having it sync across my phone and laptop is a game changer. The auto-fill on websites also helps me avoid phishing links because it won't pop up on fake login pages. Is the trade-off of trusting a third party worth the risk of losing everything locally?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryan_kim6325d ago

Two weeks of lost passwords is a weekend headache, not a life crisis. You reset a few logins and move on. Now you're handing every single password you own to some company's servers because you're scared of a little manual work. Their security gets hacked all the time. I'd rather trust my own backup routine than hope a faceless corporation doesn't have a breach.

lindagreen25d ago

My laptop died last year and I lost six months of passwords. I switched to Bitwarden and the peace of mind from having everything backed up and synced is huge. The local file method just isn't worth the stress anymore.

jennifer_west5d ago

My buddy lost his whole encrypted file when his laptop was stolen. He had to call his credit card company from a payphone because he couldn't even get into his email to reset it. Watching him go through that mess was what finally convinced me to switch.