Best security software to protect your passwords

Malicious actors hoping to steal your login and payment credentials pose a significant threat, making password management software extremely useful for protecting your sensitive information.

These tools can generate new, random passwords for all the sites and platforms you visit and store them securely. Some of the best ones on the market include Norton, Nord, Dashlane, Bitwarden, and 1Password.

Password managers are also critical business tools that can help keep systems secure by protecting employee login information.

Cyberattackers have targeted several South African entities in recent months, including the Government Pension Administration Agency,  CIPC, and packaging giant Nampak.

In the case of the CIPC breach, the attackers found usernames and passwords stored in plain text.

Anyone who reused their CIPC password elsewhere are therefore at risk of having those accounts compromised.

MyBroadband used Forbes Advisor ratings to find the five best password managers available to people living and businesses in South Africa. These include Norton Password Manager, NordPass, Dashlane, Bitwarden, and 1Password.

Forbes said it selected them based on cost, features, usability, and other factors.

The best password managers available to South African residents are listed and briefly described below.

Norton Password Manager (4.8/5)

Norton offers a free-to-use password manager extension for major browsers that covers all the basics a user can expect from a password manager, including complex password creation, secure storage, and the ability to spot weaknesses.

The company says its one-click Password Generator helps users create new, hard-to-break passwords, which they can easily update with Autochange.

Moreover, the password vault syncs across all registered devices and uses biometric security features like Face ID on iOS and fingerprints on Android to secure login credentials.

The browser extension is available to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge users.

NordPass (4.4/5)

NordPass sells its password manager product with prices starting at $1.79 (R33.05) per month.

Its key features include unlimited password and passkey saves, autosave and autofill functionality for logins and payment credentials, complex password creation, and web scanning for potential data leaks.

It also automatically syncs across all registered devices and employs multifactor authentication for added security.

There is also a free subscription tier. However, it is substantially limited compared to NordPass’s paid tiers.

Dashlane (4.2/5)

One of Dashlane’s big selling points is that it has never experienced a data breach. Customers can subscribe to the service for $3.33 (R61.50) per month, billed annually.

This pricing is for the Premium plan, which lets one user register an unlimited number of devices and store unlimited passwords. It also features autofill functionality for login and payment credentials.

The plan includes features like a password generator, dark web monitoring for leaks, and a virtual private network.

Families looking to secure their passwords can sign up for the Friends & Family plan for $4.99 (R92.13) per month, billed annually. This lets ten members register unlimited devices and store unlimited passwords.

However, the VPN feature will still only be available to one user.

Bitwarden (4.2/5)

Bitwarden is backed by a community of security experts, and its password manager software lets users store unlimited passwords, card details, and private notes.

These features are all available on a free tier, including a password generator to create hard-to-crack passwords to secure users’ accounts.

Its paid products offer a broader range of features. Premium-tier customers can access Bitwarden’s login authenticator and security reports, and encrypt file attachments.

The family plan lets up to six members register accounts.

1Password (4.2/5)

Customers can subscribe to 1Password from $2.99 (R55.43) per month, billed annually, enabling them to use 1Password across all their devices to store unlimited items, provided they fit within the 1GB storage allocation.

For $4.99 (R92.51) per month, also billed annually, customers can subscribe to the Families plan, allowing up to five members.

The company says its password management software enables users to protect themselves, their families, and their workforces by keeping passwords, passkeys, and sensitive information secure.

It boasts over 100,000 notable business clients, including IBM, Slack, Under Armour, and GitLab.