While multiple services are cracking down on password sharing, there will still be plenty of times when you need to loan your login credentials for an app or service to someone you know: Maybe you need shared access to a movie library, for instance, or there’s a file system at work that a colleague needs to get to.
First, you should only do this when it’s absolutely necessary and when it’s with other people you trust—the more people with access to a particular account, the less secure it is. All of the ways your details can be vulnerable, from data breaches to phishing scams, apply to them as well as to you.
Second, make sure you only share usernames and passwords in a safe and secure way. You definitely don’t want your login details being known more widely than you intended, so be careful when it comes to passing this information along.
The wrong ways to share passwords
Screenshots are best avoided for sharing passwords.
Credit: Lifehacker
Avoid sharing passwords in ways that other people are going to be able to easily spy on. Writing it down on a physical piece of paper or post-it note is definitely not advised, unless it’s kept very secret and destroyed as soon as it’s not needed any more. Pieces of paper can be easily read over someone’s shoulder, put in a drawer and forgotten about, or pinched from a desk.
Screenshots of login credentials aren’t a great idea, either. They can be easily forwarded to other people; they might get backed up to photo services automatically (maybe in accounts that are shared by others); and like paper notes, they can be easily read by someone passing by or sharing a device.
When it comes to using messenger apps, the best approach is to use ones that offer end-to-end encryption, which makes it much more difficult for anyone else to see what you’re talking about. Plain text emails and SMS are best avoided, as are public (or semi-public) Slack channels, and apps such as Facebook Messenger and Instagram (which do offer some encryption, but not by default).
Giving someone your details face-to-face or over the phone might seem like a secure way of passing on this information, but there are caveats: Don’t do it in places where your conversations might be easily overheard or recorded, even if you don’t think anyone else within earshot will be interested in your accounts.
Bear in mind that a compromised account can quickly expose others. It’s a reminder of why using the same password on multiple services is such a bad idea: It might start with someone being able to post as you on your favorite hobbyist forum, but if you’re using the same password for convenience in other places, that unauthorized visitor might be able to move on to social media, email, and more.
The right ways to share passwords
Apple Passwords lets you share credentials in secure groups.
Credit: Lifehacker
When it comes to the right ways of sharing credentials, start with your password manager, if you use one (and you should). Many of these apps, including the Apple Password app, come with built-in features for sharing usernames and passwords, so take advantage of this option if you have it.
Fully encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal can be trusted, but be aware of the ability for someone else to forward or screenshot messages. Ideally, send over your credentials via a message that will be wiped from the record after a certain amount of time: Both WhatsApp and Signal have disappearing message features, as does Snapchat, the original ephemeral platform.
If you’ve got both a username and a password to pass on, you might consider using two different methods to share them—maybe saying one in a (private) phone call and sending the other over a secure, encrypted messaging app.
Another option is for you to log into the account yourself, on the other person’s device. You’ll need to be in the same physical space at some point to do this, but it means the other party never actually knows what your login details are, and you can revoke access at any time (most apps and sites have a feature that let you do this, or you can just change the password to something new).
You should also consider whether or not you need to pass on your login details at all. For example, cloud storage services will often let you share files and folders via a link you can give to someone else, while many streaming services come with family plans that let everyone in your household have their own separate space.
