Store online login details securely

Remembering different passwords for various websites can be tricky but with Norton Identity Safe – a free tool from anti-virus specialist Symantec – there’s no excuse to rely on one or two weak passwords for accessing all your sites. Create a single master password, then store all your login details in its secure Online Vault, which will automatically fill in these details for you when you browse.

Discover how this works, plus how Norton Identity Safe can protect against dangerous websites, in this workshop.

Step 1
In order to drum up interest, Norton Identity Safe is currently guaranteed as being free of charge ‘forever’. However, in order to take advantage you’ll need to download and install it by 1 October 2012, so follow this workshop before that date to ensure you avoid having to pay. To begin, launch a web browser, visit Norton Identity Safe and click the ‘Download Now for Free’ link. Save the file to the Downloads folder, then double-click it and follow the prompts to install the program. Once complete, a message will explain the next two steps - creating or logging in to a Norton Account, then creating an Online Vault password. Click Next.

Step 2
When prompted, type in your email address and click Next. If the address is already associated with a Norton Account – perhaps because you’ve installed Norton-branded software such as Norton Internet Security – then enter the account password when prompted and click Next. If no account exists, create one by filling in the required details on the form. Create a memorable, strong password for the account and, if the computer is secure and used only by yourself, leave ‘Remember Password’ ticked. Click the Sign Up button.

Step 3
Choose another memorable password for the Online Vault. It needs to meet certain criteria, which the program will display as the password is typed. All conditions, such as being at least eight characters long and containing at least one number, need to have a green tick next to them before the password is accepted. There is no means of recovering this password if it’s forgotten, so use the password hint to provide enough of a clue to guess it without giving it away. If you find it hard to remember complex passwords, consider using numbers and symbols such as 5 and $ in place of letters such as S. Once done, click Create Vault.