In the old days, all we had to memorise was a birthday or two. Now, the internet and all its security ramifications oblige us to grapple with a seemingly infinite list of passwords, in both our professional and our private, lives. But, as Michael Crandell, CEO of Bitwarden, tells us, it doesn't have to be so hard.
Good day, Mr Crandell! Can we start with a few words on what made you want to work in cybersecurity?
My interest in security began with encryption, when I was implementing encryption technology as part of a document storage system. The idea that I could make a document inaccessible to anyone – including the system in which it was stored – and then return it to readable form for verified users, was exciting. I realised then the tremendous potential for achieving security through a multi-layered approach.
Was there something in particular about information security that drew you in?
As former New York Times cybersecurity reporter and author Nicole Perlroth said during the recent Bitwarden Open Source Security Summit, the fight against global cyberattacks isn’t just the responsibility of governments; businesses and individuals all play critical roles. What inspires me is the opportunity every day to help businesses solve their password security challenges, to help individuals stay safe online, and to work with a talented team that is passionate about those same goals.
People hate passwords, but they love their password managers. Until you use
