Two security firms launch rival automatic password changers

London

A FRENCH-AMERICAN startup launched an automatic password changer in an attempt to remove the all-too-human frailty that has rendered the phrase "computer security" a worrying oxymoron, leading a rival US software firm to launch a similar service.

For most people, properly managing passwords verges on impossible, given the dizzying array of devices and websites on which we have all become increasingly reliant. But Dashlane.com and LastPass are stepping up their offerings to counter hackers.