5 ms·

> If you autofill your passwords via the browser, you probably don't think very much about privacy What's wrong with auto-filling passwords?

capableweb 5y ago
Besides the obvious that anyone in front of your unlocked computer can see and extract your password, those passwords are also stored on disk and can be extracted via different methods. Although if you do use a Master Password to protect those passwords, you're slightly more protected.
- StavrosK 5y ago
  All my disks are encrypted and I never leave my unattended computer unlocked. Besides, anyone in front of your unlocked password manager can see and extract your password as well.
  - capableweb 5y ago
    Same here, encryption buddies! But realistically, our setups are not the norm, in any place I've seen at least, from small personal setups to huge enterprises. Most people leave their computers with the defaults, and leave their computers unlocked all the time. For them to use a dedicated password manager is a step up as password managers are built for security. The password manager built-in in your browser is meant for comfort. Password managers usually hides the passwords, removes them from the clipboard, auto-locks themselves after X minutes and more, while the strongest protection the browser password managers have is a master password. So yes, probably for you it's fine, because you have other measures. But for most others, especially casual users, they don't have those measures and would be better off with a password manager.
    - mywittyname 5y ago
      Every place that I've worked has a pretty serious policy that machines need to be locked when you're away from the computer. They also force full disk encryption on all machines and the "defaults" are managed by corporate IT and are often annoyingly strict. Plus, offices generally have some sort of physical security preventing anyone from just walking through, and with open offices, it's pretty damn obvious when someone is using a computer belonging to another person.
      - lupire 5y ago
        > with open offices, it's pretty damn obvious when someone is using a computer belonging to another person. Hotdesking to the rescue.

capableweb 5y ago

Besides the obvious that anyone in front of your unlocked computer can see and extract your password, those passwords are also stored on disk and can be extracted via different methods. Although if you do use a Master Password to protect those passwords, you're slightly more protected.

StavrosK 5y ago
All my disks are encrypted and I never leave my unattended computer unlocked. Besides, anyone in front of your unlocked password manager can see and extract your password as well.
- capableweb 5y ago
  Same here, encryption buddies! But realistically, our setups are not the norm, in any place I've seen at least, from small personal setups to huge enterprises. Most people leave their computers with the defaults, and leave their computers unlocked all the time. For them to use a dedicated password manager is a step up as password managers are built for security. The password manager built-in in your browser is meant for comfort. Password managers usually hides the passwords, removes them from the clipboard, auto-locks themselves after X minutes and more, while the strongest protection the browser password managers have is a master password. So yes, probably for you it's fine, because you have other measures. But for most others, especially casual users, they don't have those measures and would be better off with a password manager.
  - mywittyname 5y ago
    Every place that I've worked has a pretty serious policy that machines need to be locked when you're away from the computer. They also force full disk encryption on all machines and the "defaults" are managed by corporate IT and are often annoyingly strict. Plus, offices generally have some sort of physical security preventing anyone from just walking through, and with open offices, it's pretty damn obvious when someone is using a computer belonging to another person.
    - lupire 5y ago
      > with open offices, it's pretty damn obvious when someone is using a computer belonging to another person. Hotdesking to the rescue.