From a Locked Flash Drive to the Cloud: Why I Finally Quit My DIY Password System for NordPass
For years, I was the "security through obscurity" guy. If you asked me about password managers, I’d give you a lecture on why putting all your digital keys in one basket was a recipe for disaster.
My "bulletproof" system? A password-protected Excel workbook stored on a physical USB flash drive. To make sure I never lost it, I even had an Apple AirTag physically tethered to the drive. I thought I was a genius. In reality, I was carrying around a massive inconvenience that made logging into anything from my phone a nightmare.
After a few "where is my drive?" mini-heart attacks, I finally bit the bullet and tried NordPass. Here is why this skeptic is never going back.
The End of the "Excel Era"
The transition from a manual spreadsheet to NordPass was like trading a horse and buggy for a Tesla. Here is what changed the game for me:
Zero-Knowledge Architecture: My biggest fear was a data breach. NordPass uses XChaCha20 encryption, and because they have a "zero-knowledge" policy, even the people at Nord can’t see what’s in my vault. It’s actually more secure than my unencrypted Excel cells.
Seamless Syncing: No more plugging in a drive. Whether I’m on my desktop, my iPad, or my phone, my passwords are just there.
The Password Health Tool: When I imported my spreadsheet, NordPass immediately flagged a dozen "weak" and "reused" passwords I’d been using for a decade. It was a wake-up call.
Data Breach Scanner: It constantly scans the web to see if any of my accounts have been leaked. My Excel sheet definitely couldn't do that.
A Note on the Nord Ecosystem
I’ve been a long-time user of NordVPN, which is why I gave their password manager a chance in the first place. If you aren't using a VPN yet—especially when browsing on public Wi-Fi—you really should. It’s fast, reliable, and has become a staple in my daily tech stack alongside NordPass.
Full Transparency
Just to be clear: I do not receive any commission from Nord. I’m writing this because the product genuinely fixed a major pain point in my digital life.
However, if you want to try it out, using my referral link below doesn't cost you anything extra, but it does grant me a few extra months on my own plan as a "thank you" from Nord. If you've been sitting on the fence (or carrying a flash drive in your pocket), now is the time to switch.
Check out NordPass & NordVPN here: https://refer-nordvpn.com/QzEYjzskkSO