To try to stay secure we are left relying on password management tools that sometimes get breached themselves, or juggling an almost ridiculous rotation of hard-to-remember passwords, or using a random string of characters we expect to reset the next time we log in.
Unless, that is, they just give up and use comically easy-to-guess passwords.
This password paradox is why tech companies like Google, Apple and Yahoo are trying to find ways to replace passwords. Apple, for instance, includes fingerprint scanners in its new iPhones. And Google and Yahoo have been experimenting with ways that let people use their mobile phone to prove their identity without a password.
Unfortunately, these alternatives can come with their own drawbacks: You leave your fingerprints on pretty much everything you touch, and some researchers have even found way to fake fingerprints from high definition photos. And using just your mobile phone may leave you at risk if you lose it.
For now, at least, consumers are probably best off trying trying to remember strong, unique passwords for important services and turning on two-factor authentication, a system where they have to go through another step to confirm their identity when they log in -- usually entering a code that's texted to their phone.
There's a good list of what services offer this protection. The extra step may feel frustrating, but it's a lot less work than having to recover from a breached account.
