If awareness of internet security is so high, then why are we still using '123456' and 'password' to protect our accounts? Can 1Password – a sophisticated and simple password manager – be the encrypted answer for the 70% of people who regularly forget their passwords?

Is the best password a random combination of digits and numbers? According to researchers, there may be an even better way to protect devices against unauthorised access. They suggest that the way we interact with touchscreens is so unique it can be turned into a password.

When breaking news hit of the security bug named Heartbleed, it reignited the conversation about privacy and control of online information. It was another reminder that passwords hold the key to our sensitive data, and that we should be taking them more seriously.

Easy-to-use personal security measures are a welcome antidote to the privacy fears that plague a post-PRISM scandal world. But are encrypted text messages a necessity, or just a fan to the flames of a paranoia epidemic?