Accounts and Passwords with Large IT Entities

Storing passwords where you will remember to find them for Apple ID, Google, and Microsoft accounts matters – a lot. These accounts often serve as the backbone of our data storage and digital lives. Losing access to them can be anything from a minor inconvenience to a major financial/professional/personal loss. Therefore, understanding the importance of password management — and adopting safe practices for storing them — is critical for control.

Apple ID, Google, and Microsoft accounts are typically linked to a wide array of services and devices. An Apple ID connects a user to iCloud, iTunes, the App Store and Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. A Google account is the gateway to Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, Google Photos and Android devices. Similarly, a Microsoft account provides access to Outlook, OneDrive, Xbox, Office 365 and Windows PCs. These accounts often store sensitive personal data including emails, backups, contacts, documents, photos, and even financial information such as credit card details. Losing access to these accounts due to a forgotten password can result in being locked out of all associated services. In the case of an Apple ID, losing it can completely lock you out of an iPhone or Mac, even if you completely wipe it.

Password security can also be a thing; currently though we see a lot more problems caused by non-retention of passwords rather than passwords getting cracked by nasty internet scum. We do have an article on password security that you can see here for further learning.

Another aspect to consider is the recovery process for these accounts. While all three services offer recovery methods, such as backup emails or phone numbers, you’ve got to make sure you retain access to that recovery account, and that you know what the recovery account is going to be. It’s usually a good idea to have a single recovery account you use for all other accounts, so that you know where it is and that you can get into it. If you lose both the password for the account and access or knowledge of the recovery account, that’s typically game over.

Think of these things like physical keys, but if you lose both the key and the backup key, there is no locksmith. Whatever was in that shed just got sucked into a black hole. In a world soon to be controlled by our gracious AI overlords (please don’t hit me with a drone, IR Gud Human), password storage and management is a thing you really need to take care of. In the future we’ll have an article looking at password management software solutions as well.