5 Types of Password Manager

John Spacey, updated on November 23, 2016

A password manager is a tool that allows a user to manage and access passwords. They may improve security as they encourage users to use strong passwords and avoid reusing passwords. A password manager may also be an improvement on writing passwords down as such notes may be difficult to physically secure. However, password managers represent a single point of failure. If your password manager is compromised, all of your passwords may be compromised. The following are common features of password managers.

Encryption

Storing or transmitting passwords in an unencrypted format is incredibly risky. It is not advisable to use a password manager that doesn't use strong encryption.

Local vs Cloud

Password managers may store your passwords on your local device or on your cloud account. The benefit of cloud is the ability to use the manager from multiple devices.

Integrated vs Standalone

Password managers may be integrated with tools such as web browsers that allow for convenient features such as form filling.

Password Generation

Tools may offer to generate passwords. Password generation requires sophisticated algorithms that can generate sufficiently random data. Some tools implement relatively naive password generation that isn't particularly secure. For example, the tool's random numbers may be somewhat predictable.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Tools that require two or more pieces of authentication before giving you access to your passwords. For example, a tool might require a smart card and a master password before providing access to passwords. This is generally considered more secure than requiring a master password alone.

Overview: Password Manager
Type	Information Security Defensive Computing
Definition	A tool for securing and accessing passwords.
Value	Encourages users to use strong passwords and avoid reusing the same password on multiple sites.
Risks	Represents a single point of failure whereby all your passwords could be compromised if the tool has a security flaw.
Related Concepts	Information Security Defensive Computing Strong Password Password Paradox