Reply To: Is It Safe to Store My Passwords in a Windows Browser ? Interesting thought I had regarding Passwords and Windows Edge, Google Chrome and other browsers and how safe are your passwords stored / secured in these browsers ? Lots of different…

[UK Sentinel]

As /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_manager states….

A password manager is a computer program that allows users to store and manage their passwords for local applications and online services.In many cases software used to manage passwords allow also generate strong passwords and fill forms. Password manager can be delivered as a one of or mixed of: computer application, mobile application, web browser extension, web based service, portable software for USB units

What are the benefits of using a password manager?

You don’t have to memorize all your passwords anymore. You only need to remember the master password that unlocks your password vault. And if you opt for a cloud-based password manager, you can access your password vault anywhere, from any device.

They can auto-generate highly secure passwords for you. Password managers will typically ask you if you’d like to use an auto-generated password whenever you create a new account with a website or application. These random passwords are long, alphanumeric, and essentially impossible to guess.

Password managers save time. Beyond just storing passwords for you, many password managers also auto-fill credentials for faster access to online accounts. In addition, some can store and auto-fill name, address, email, phone number, and credit card info. This can be a huge timesaver when shopping online, for example.

For my example, I am going to focus on PC based password managers, of which there are two main types for the typical end user:

1. Locally installed software
2. Online password manager

Locally installed software:

Desktop-based password managers store your passwords locally on your device, like your laptop, in an encrypted vault. You can’t access those passwords from any another device, and if you lose the device, then you lose all the passwords stored there. Locally-installed password managers are a great option for people who just don’t want their data stored on someone else’s network. Some locally-installed password managers strike a balance between privacy and convenience by allowing you to create multiple password vaults across your devices and sync them when you connect to the Internet.

Online password manager:

Cloud-based password managers store your encrypted passwords on the service provider’s network. The service provider is directly responsible for the security of your passwords. The primary benefit of cloud-based password managers, 1Password and LastPass being good examples, is that you can access your password vault from any device as long as you have an Internet connection. Web-based password managers can come in different forms—most commonly as a browser extension, desktop app, or mobile app.

Note: Token-based password manager is a third password manager option, but is more used in the business sector.

Token-based password managers need to have a security token mechanism,[15] wherein a locally-accessible hardware device, such as smart cards or secure USB flash devices, is used to authenticate a user in lieu of or in addition to a traditional text-based password or other two-factor authentication system. The data stored in the token is usually encrypted to prevent probing and unauthorized reading of the data. Some token systems still require software loaded on the PC along with hardware (smart card reader) and drivers to properly read and decode the data.

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

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