Tuesday, April 21, 2015

What in the Heck Is Password Manager?

I am trying to get into my Delta Airlines SkyMiles account, and
I keep  getting a popup called Password Manager that seems to be "helping" me remember passwords, but I think it is mor hindrance than help.  Anyone know what it is and how to disable it?

 ThinkVantage Password Manager is a Lenovo Firefox Addon which I guess installed itself recently; easy to disable.

4 comments:

  1. If it's an add-on you should be able to disable it in Tools->Add-ons.

    Otherwise if you're a Windows user check the Control Panel list of installed programs; if it's listed un-install it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A password manager is a piece of software that can remember one (or a hundred) distinct Username/Password combinations.

    Usually with a single MasterPassword to unlock it.

    I don't know how secure the FireFox plugins are. (I also don't know much about the Chrome equivalent.)

    I do use PasswordSafe, based on a project developed by Bruce Schneier.

    It fills my needs. And I'm reasonably certain that it doesn't leak password data unintentionally.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also use PasswordSafe which Bruce Schneier developed.

    Given that secure passwords require around 12 characters (letters, numbers, symbols) and given that you should have a unique password for each service that requires one, a need for a way to remember all of the different passwords is the result.


    A password manager is simply an encrypted database of all your passwords. In order to access the passwords, you have to remember one password. If you correctly enter the manager's password, you then have access to all of your passwords and cut and paste to use relevant passwords.

    One way to remember long passwords is to create a phrase and then use only the first letter of each word and substitute symbols for some of the words. For example, use an asterisk instead of star "TTL*LI<>ITS" would be Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Like a Diamond in the Sky.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Standalone password managers like KeePass or LastPass (I don't use them at the moment, but I know people who do) will generate random passwords for you, of as long a length as you want.

    ReplyDelete