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There are hundred of social media websites and apps a single user has to manage these days and all these accounts come with their own set of baggage, particularly having to remember passwords.
Now, the good thing about technology is that it has provided us with certain tools that help manage and remember passwords. There are many apps today that help you do so.
But, did you know that even Google is keeping a track of all the passwords you’re using on its browser (Google Chrome) and those passwords can end up easily being seen by someone else, if you’re not careful?
TLDR? Listen to the story here:
Most office goers use workstations and computers provided by the company which usually share a common log-in ID and password.
The same computer can be used by multiple co-workers and that’s something that can get you in trouble. It’s similar to what happens at cyber cafes.
If by chance someday you leave your workstation unattended, you’d think that the worst that could happen is a bunch of your friends or coworkers would play a prank by posting something humorous on your Facebook timeline. Turns out there could be more severe consequences.
Many people log-in to Google Chrome via their personal Gmail accounts at their workplaces. The moment you’re logged into Google, it links all your active Google accounts to that desktop.
Most people inadvertently activate the “Auto Sign-In” option which remembers passwords to websites and doesn’t require the user to enter the password every time they log-in. And Chrome auto-syncs tabs on different devices. Again, I’d recommend you never use this feature on public computers.
Every Chrome browser has a password managing feature in its Settings tab (under the three-dot menu). There you can view all the websites that you have accessed and have asked Google to save passwords for.
If you wish to see these passwords, you have to tap the ‘eye’ icon on the right of the web address.
An option pops up which asks you to enter the computer log-in ID and password. It’s the same ID you use to log-in to your computer. Once you enter that you’ll be able to see the password you have used for that particular website.
There is also an option for one to download all the passwords used for different sites.
All that is need to gain access is the desktop’s log-in ID and password. Scary right?
The first thing you need to do to avoid this issue is to sort out your passwords in the Passwords tab in Google Chrome Settings and delete all the websites which hold sensitive user information like banking websites, social media accounts etc.
The best way to ensure that others don’t gain access is to ALWAYS log out of your Google account when you’re not around your workstation. Because there is a chance that someone might still be able to access your desktop using a common company log-in ID.
There is also a tab in the Passwords options where you can view all the websites you haven’t given Google the permission to save passwords, just so you can verify this.
Stay safe and PLEASE TRY THIS AT HOME.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)