So an iPhone or Android user can enter their credentials into a web form on their smartphone, and then log in to that same website using the Safari or Chrome browser on their laptop, without having to remember the password, if they’re logged in to the same iCloud or Google account on both devices.
If you’re logged in to your Google or iCloud account on multiple devices or browsers, any of those devices can access your credentials, no matter where you first entered them. Your stored credentials are tied to a central identifying account with each service. They capture passwords that you enter on one device or website, store them in an encrypted form in the cloud and then automatically fill in your credentials the next time you need them, so you don’t have to remember them. In their current state, these password managers do exactly what you’d expect. Ideally, with that burden taken from us, we’ll be more likely to use different passwords for each of the websites and apps we use instead of reusing the same one (I’m looking at you passw0rd1) or making weak iterations of the same password ( passw0rd2, passw0rd3…).
The whole point of password managers is to remove the burden of having to remember umpteen passwords. That said, two juggernauts have recently entered the scene, and they will likely help password managers become more mainstream: Apple’s iCloud Keychain and Google’s Smart Lock.īoth are built-in and on by default, which could make it easier for users to make the switch to using a password manager. Here at Naked Security, we’ve been banging the drum for password managers for a long while now, and there are a number of strong examples out there in the marketplace.įor people who care deeply about privacy and security, deciding which password manager to use means making decisions about password storage, reputation, browser integration, credential sharing options, whether you want cloud-based or local password vaults, and cost.įor many though, it’s still a question of why bother at all?Ĭonvincing people who aren’t as security-focussed as you to use any kind of password manager at all can be difficult because it adds extra complexity to something many already regard as a hassle.
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