{"id":44027,"date":"2020-01-28T15:19:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T15:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=44027"},"modified":"2023-03-22T09:31:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T09:31:20","slug":"why-spreadsheets-are-not-a-password-management-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/it\/blog\/why-spreadsheets-are-not-a-password-management-solution","title":{"rendered":"Why Spreadsheets Are Not a Password Management Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many organizations still use spreadsheets to store and manage company passwords. But managed services providers (MSPs) shouldn\u2019t use or perpetuate this practice. After all, the 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR)<\/a> found that 80% of hacking-related breaches are associated with passwords. The same report mentions password managers as an invaluable tool for preventing such attacks\u2014and MSPs who are still using spreadsheets for enterprise password management<\/a> should consider making the change.<\/p>\n

How Secure Is My Password in a Spreadsheet?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How safe is your password? If you\u2019re saving company passwords in a spreadsheet, you should be worried about your password security. You\u2019re putting company data at extreme risk\u2014in fact, you may already have been breached without realizing it. Spreadsheets are not a secure password solution for the following reasons:<\/p>\n

Spreadsheets are not designed for password management security. <\/em><\/p>\n

Spreadsheet tools were never designed for password management. Spreadsheets are a great tool for calculations, graphing, and organizational tasks, but they simply don\u2019t make the cut for a password solution. Some spreadsheet software may offer some improved security features, like longer hashes and salt values, but these newer versions still don\u2019t offer two-factor authentication. Despite these slightly improved security updates, if the file is exposed externally to your organization, it\u2019s still too easy to access the data within. For privileged passwords especially, it truly isn\u2019t worth the risk.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s too easy for bad actors to access, copy, and edit spreadsheets. <\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s simple to download, transfer, and copy spreadsheet files\u2014which inherently puts your passwords at risk if you use spreadsheets for storage. Internal users can too easily copy and forward files\u2014whether on purpose or by accident\u2014in a way that allows hacker access. What\u2019s more, spreadsheet access can occur without leaving a trace. You can\u2019t audit file usage for spreadsheets, so you don\u2019t have visibility into who is accessing the file, making copies, or changing passwords. This means you may fall short on compliance guidelines as well.<\/p>\n

Using spreadsheets leaves you vulnerable to human error.<\/em><\/p>\n

Using spreadsheets is a manual method for handling credential information. As with most manual processes, this method leaves you open to human error. It\u2019s too easy to make mistakes while creating or managing passwords within a spreadsheet. If you forget the password to the encrypted spreadsheet, it may be difficult to recover the information. And if a breach does occur, you\u2019ll have to make manual password changes within each individual system. Not only is this disaster recovery time-consuming, but you may miss credentials and leave security gaps.<\/p>\n

Spreadsheets don\u2019t enforce password standards or best practices.<\/em><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re using a spreadsheet, there are no built-in tools for supporting password best practices. Passwords don\u2019t have to pass company policies or regulatory standards\u2014you can write in any password with no automated way to ensure strong and unique passwords. Part of the problem is that spreadsheets don\u2019t typically integrate with SIEM tools that can offer greater security.<\/p>\n

Are Password Managers Safe? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Using a password manager like N‑able \u00ae<\/sup> Passportal is a much safer alternative to using spreadsheets. MSPs should consider investing in Passportal to reap the following features and benefits:<\/p>\n