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Blog post about the design flaws of password managers: https://www.go350.com/posts/the-design-flaws-of-password-managers/ https://www.go350.com/posts/the-desig

by _wldu 5y ago

Blog post about the design flaws of password managers: https://www.go350.com/posts/the-design-flaws-of-password-managers/ https://www.go350.com/posts/the-design-flaws-of-password-man...

gruez 5y ago
I can't say I like the post. >Users must also devise a master password to unlock the encrypted passwords stored by the password manager. This is similar to a master key. It is generally accepted that master keyed locks are less secure than non-master keyed locks. If the master password is exposed, then confidence (in all the passwords that it unlocks) is lost. 1. In a perfect world, having a master password is worse than having independent passwords. However, realistically you can't remember that many passwords, so in practice you end up reusing passwords across sites. Using a master password in this case is a worthwhile tradeoff. 2. on most password managers, you need access to both the database (either through the web, or as a file) and the master password to compromise its contents. Even if your password was "hunter2" or something, your accounts would probably be fine. >DPG Deterministic password generators/managers have problems of their own. Their main draw is supposedly the lack of state to keep track of, but realistically you still need to sync stuff (eg. usernames, site identifiers, password formats, counters), so that dream is never realized. >1. Never store passwords. Rather, generate them as needed based on user input. The need to backup, synchronize and properly encrypt passwords is removed. There is no master password that immediately unlocks all of the other passwords. There is nothing to become lost, stolen or corrupt. I can't tell whether this is satire or not. The author dunks on other password managers for having a "master password that immediately unlocks all of the other passwords", but his program literally has the same flaw? At least with traditional password managers you need access to the database and the master password.

by _wldu 5y ago

Blog post about the design flaws of password managers: https://www.go350.com/posts/the-design-flaws-of-password-managers/ https://www.go350.com/posts/the-design-flaws-of-password-man...

gruez 5y ago

I can't say I like the post. >Users must also devise a master password to unlock the encrypted passwords stored by the password manager. This is similar to a master key. It is generally accepted that master keyed locks are less secure than non-master keyed locks. If the master password is exposed, then confidence (in all the passwords that it unlocks) is lost. 1. In a perfect world, having a master password is worse than having independent passwords. However, realistically you can't remember that many passwords, so in practice you end up reusing passwords across sites. Using a master password in this case is a worthwhile tradeoff. 2. on most password managers, you need access to both the database (either through the web, or as a file) and the master password to compromise its contents. Even if your password was "hunter2" or something, your accounts would probably be fine. >DPG Deterministic password generators/managers have problems of their own. Their main draw is supposedly the lack of state to keep track of, but realistically you still need to sync stuff (eg. usernames, site identifiers, password formats, counters), so that dream is never realized. >1. Never store passwords. Rather, generate them as needed based on user input. The need to backup, synchronize and properly encrypt passwords is removed. There is no master password that immediately unlocks all of the other passwords. There is nothing to become lost, stolen or corrupt. I can't tell whether this is satire or not. The author dunks on other password managers for having a "master password that immediately unlocks all of the other passwords", but his program literally has the same flaw? At least with traditional password managers you need access to the database and the master password.