# Turn up your security profile to 11

Beyond choosing a password manager, consider these steps.

*By Aaron Marshall*

*Published: March 31, 2020*

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If you haven’t started using a password manager, now is a great time to start! If you are already there, pay attention to the following safety practices to enhance your overall security profile.

## Download apps from trusted app stores

App phishing, where fake apps try to look like official apps, is real. Always load apps from a trusted app store and do not sideload applications. Avoid visiting untrusted sites and installing untrusted apps or extensions.

## Be aware of App PIN brute-forcing

Many password manager users like to unlock their vault with a PIN code. This is a convenience that requires attention in the event that malicious software gains access to your system to brute-force a PIN code.

Bitwarden requires the master password after 5 failed PIN attempts to protect against brute force attacks. Setting a PIN in Bitwarden also warns you that PIN settings are reset upon logging out. And Bitwarden provides an option to lock with the master password on browser restart.

![The convenience of unlocking your vault with a PIN comes with additional security options](https://bitwarden.com/assets/26KEesRSBtu4SBViuwtHTC/a1fa4aa164800d62d7691855a6ca4ca5/unlock-with-pin.png)

## Choose a strong master password

Using a strong and unique master password is of the utmost importance in protecting your data. This greatly minimizes the risk of a brute force attack and will help keep you safe.

## Be in tune with your clipboard

At Bitwarden we recommend using the built-in autofill mechanism and avoiding copy and paste when possible. As an extra precaution, Bitwarden allows users to clear their clipboards after a specified time.

![Bitwarden options include a Clear Clipboard option at a specific interval](https://bitwarden.com/assets/16FwHwynS7RcPjvr0koyZL/c35bc80358be7ada285a08681437b212/clear-clipboard.png)

## Watch your browser address bar

Unfortunately, there are villains trying to trick you to visit malicious URLs, sometimes by subdomain stacking and HTTPS confusion. Stick with strict URL matching, use a trusted DNS provider, and pay attention to your browsers certificate validation.

Bitwarden provides a range of options for match detection with details in our help site article [Match detection for URIs](https://bitwarden.com/it-it/help/uri-match-detection/){:target="_blank"}.

![Default URI Match Detection in Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com/assets/i3uEtQQPblq6yfiJLs1vK/055def7016dd4404da7cc2e172c11802/uri-match-detection.png)

## Maintaining The Utmost Security

These are just a few tips that can help you enhance your own security once you have a password manager in place. Have other tips? Send them to us on Twitter [@bitwarden](https://twitter.com/bitwarden).

To start your own personal vault with Bitwarden visit [bitwarden.com](https://bitwarden.com/it-it/).