Browser Password Managers: Convenient but Cautious
Hey guys, this weekend on When You Need 'Em, Ask Neadom, we're gonna talk about browser password managers. Are they good? Are they bad? I'm not sure. We'll check it out real soon. See you then.
Overview
Welcome to the week of When You Need 'Em, Ask Neadom. Today we're gonna talk about browser password managers and their pros and cons. We're looking at Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We're not going to get into the exact details of each password management system, but rather cover the overall pros and cons compared to traditional third-party password managers like Dashlane, 1Password, or RoboForm.
Synchronization
The first pro of browser password managers is synchronization. If you travel a lot and use multiple devices like a mobile phone, tablet, and PC you want your passwords readily available. Most browser password managers allow you to sync across devices, but you must have the same browser installed on all of them.
For example:
- Apple devices use Safari, syncing passwords across MacBook, iPhone, and iPad.
- Chrome users sync passwords via their Gmail account.
- Edge users sync through their Microsoft account.
This makes it easy to access your bank or email accounts on the go.
Security
The second pro is that browser password managers are somewhat secure. Passwords are not stored unencrypted. On a Mac, they're stored in the keychain. In Chrome, they're encrypted based on the login password of the user account. This means your passwords are available only when you're logged into your computer.
Password Management
The third pro is that it’s still a password manager. At least you’re not writing passwords on sticky notes, in notebooks, or storing them in Excel files. You have some level of security in place.
Cons of Browser-Based Password Managers
Now let’s look at the cons.
Timeout and Security
The number one con is that passwords are not re-secured after a certain amount of time. Once you're logged into your PC, your passwords remain accessible. Unlike third-party managers that lock after inactivity, browser-based managers typically don’t re-encrypt or lock access unless you log out manually.
Two-Factor Authentication
The second con is limited support for two-factor authentication (2FA). Many browser-based managers don’t support 2FA natively. If a hacker gains access to your Gmail account, they could also access your saved passwords.
Third-party managers often support 2FA within the app and can even store 2FA tokens. For example, 1Password can store both your password and the six-digit 2FA code, making logins more secure and convenient.
Visual Security Risk
The third con applies to all password managers. When you autofill a password, it appears as dots in the field. But if someone has access to your computer physically or remotely, they can inspect the page, change the field type from “password” to “text,” and reveal the password. This is a visual security risk you should be aware of.
Conclusion
That sums up another week of When You Need 'Em, Ask Neadom. This week we talked about browser password managers, their pros and cons. Any password management is better than none, but it’s important to stay aware and stay safe.
If you need help with this, reach out to us online at http://www.kotoritechnologies.com. Stay safe out there!
