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As usual with security discussions, one needs to start from analyzing security threats and attack vectors. Is a simple to memorize and likely multi-use password
by lsh123 4y ago
As usual with security discussions, one needs to start from analyzing security threats and attack vectors. Is a simple to memorize and likely multi-use password is a bigger security threat than a unique, hard to guess passwords in a file storage? It depends.
Is this a laptop without disk encryption that travels a lot and especially internationally? Sure, these semi-unencrypted passwords on disk are likely not very safe from lost laptops, customs inspections, etc. Might still be better than a common and simple password though.
Is this a laptop sitting at home most of the time with a strong disk encryption? I’ll take unsecured browser password storage with unique hard passwords any day.
Edit: formatting
- zokier 4y ago> Is this a laptop without disk encryption that travels a lot and especially internationally? If yes then password storage is not the thing you should be concerned about. There is no excuse for not having FDE on laptops in 2022.
- WorldMaker 4y agoEven Windows Home SKUs have been trying to gently move casual home users (which today are most likely to be using laptops) to FDE in 2022. It's one of the reasons for the Microsoft Account requirement that is much maligned to a sector of HN commenters. A trade off to using Microsoft Accounts for login is that Microsoft knows you have a recovery path for FDE keys and can enable FDE on your behalf, which in isolation is a good idea for casual home users. (Whatever you think about the other implications of needing a Microsoft Account for a personal casual use device.)