Part 2: Essential Security Tools

The Two Things That Will Stop 80% of Attacks

password-vault-hacker-cat.png

🗺️ Series: Overview • Part 1: Recognizing Scams → • Part 2: Essential Tools (current page) • Part 3: Network Security → • Part 4: Daily Habits →

⚠️ Disclaimer

I’m not a certified security professional or lawyer. I’m just sharing my experience and security habits - things I try to follow myself and urge my mom to practice as well. This is not a professional security consultation, nor a legal advice. Your situation may differ. When in doubt, consult with qualified paid professionals.

What I told Mom to do if she only had time for TWO THINGS:

  1. Use a password manager
  2. Enable two-factor authentication

Everything else is important, but these two tools protect people from the vast majority of attacks. I’m not exaggerating when I say this eliminates about 80% of the risk.

🎯 Bottom Line

Most hacks happen because of password reuse or weak passwords. Fix this ONE thing, and most security problems are solved.

The Password Problem

Let’s be honest. Most people:

I get it. Remembering dozens of complex passwords is impossible.

That’s why I use a password manager.

1. I Use a Password Manager (Here’s Why)

What a Password Manager Does

A password manager:

What I Personally Use: 1Password

I use 1Password for myself and my entire family. My mom uses it too.

Why I chose it:

Cost: ~$5/month for individuals, ~$20/month for families (up to 5 people)

Other Great Options

Bitwarden - FREE & Open-Source

Dashlane - Premium Option

🗃️ What I Store in Mine

I store more than just passwords in my password manager:

  • Emergency contacts
  • Passport numbers
  • Software license keys
  • Secure notes
  • Credit card info (for auto-fill)
  • WiFi passwords

It’s all encrypted and synced across my devices.

Hacker cat opening a secure password vault

How I Got My Mom to Use It

Step 1: Installed 1Password on her computer and phone Step 2: Added her 5 most important passwords (email, bank, Amazon) Step 3: Let her use it for 2 weeks Step 4: She was hooked - “Where has this been all my life?!”

Now she uses it for everything. No more sticky notes!

Questions Mom Asked Me

“What if I forget my master password?” I told her that’s the trade-off - she’d be locked out. That’s why it’s secure. I told her to write it down and store it somewhere safe (NOT on the computer).

“What if 1Password gets hacked?” They use military-grade encryption. Even if hacked, the data is unreadable without the master password. (This happened to LastPass - users with strong master passwords were fine.)

“Isn’t putting all my eggs in one basket risky?” I told her it’s actually safer than reusing passwords everywhere. When one site gets hacked, hackers try that password on every other site.

2. I Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on Everything

Two-Factor Authentication (also called MFA) means I need TWO things to log in:

  1. Something I know (my password)
  2. Something I have (my phone, a code, a hardware key)

Even if someone steals my password, they can’t get in without that second factor.

Where I Have 2FA Enabled

I have it on everything important:

🔐 Critical

If someone hacks email, they can reset passwords for ALL other accounts. That’s why I protected my email with 2FA first.

Types of 2FA (From Least to Most Secure)

1. SMS Text Messages (What I set up for my mom)

2. Authenticator Apps (What I use)

3. Hardware Security Keys (What I use for important accounts)

💀 Real Attack

My friend’s email got hacked. The hacker had his password (from a data breach). But they couldn’t get past 2FA. Crisis averted!

Without 2FA, the hacker would have:

  1. Accessed his email
  2. Reset his bank password
  3. Transferred money out
  4. Changed passwords on all other accounts

How I Set Up 2FA

For my mom (SMS method):

  1. Go to account security settings
  2. Look for “Two-Factor Authentication” or “Two-Step Verification”
  3. Choose “Text message” option
  4. Enter phone number
  5. Enter the code they send
  6. Done!

For myself (Authenticator app):

  1. Download Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator
  2. In account settings, choose “Authenticator app”
  3. Scan the QR code with the app
  4. Enter the 6-digit code
  5. Save backup codes in password manager

🔑 Key Thing

I always save my backup codes. If I lose my phone, these codes let me back in. I store mine in 1Password.

Find Out Which Sites Support 2FA

1Password users: 1Password automatically detects when a site supports 2FA and prompts you to set it up. No need to check manually!

For everyone else: Visit 2fa.directory - it lists thousands of websites and which 2FA methods they support.

3. I Keep My Software Updated

Yeah, this is boring. But it’s critical.

Why I Bother

My firewall and antivirus are only as good as their latest patch. Hackers exploit known vulnerabilities in old software.

What I Update Regularly

How I Handle Updates

On Mom’s computer:

On my own devices:

🤷 My Take

I enable automatic updates. Yes, the restart is annoying. Yes, it’s worth it.

4. Antivirus: What I Use

My Setup

On Windows (Mom’s computer):

On Mac (my computer):

What I avoid:

How I Keep It Effective

  1. Auto-update enabled
  2. I run full scans monthly
  3. I never disable it “just for this one download”

The 80/20 Rule in Action

Here’s what I did for my mom, in order:

  1. ✅ Installed 1Password (took 30 minutes)
  2. ✅ Enabled 2FA on her email via SMS (5 minutes)
  3. ✅ Enabled 2FA on her bank (10 minutes)
  4. ✅ Enabled Windows auto-updates (2 minutes)

Total time: Under 1 hour

Risk reduction: ~80%

That’s it. Four things. One hour. Massive improvement.

What I’d Do First If Starting Over

If I were starting fresh, here’s what I’d tackle first:

Next in Series

Part 3: Network & Home Security →

Learn how I protect my home network with routers, firewalls, and proper configuration. This is where I build my digital fortress.

More Resources

Last updated: January 31, 2025

password manager 2fa two-factor authentication 1password bitwarden security tools cybersecurity