Password manager
software for storing and retrieving passwords/credentials
A password manager is software that stores usernames and passwords in a collection called a password vault. The vault is intended to be encrypted, and its encryption key is commonly derived from a master password chosen by the user. Most password managers can generate passwords, save credentials as they are entered, and fill them when the user returns. Some can also synchronize records between devices, share credentials with other users, and store payment-card details, notes, and documents.
Password managers are available as standalone applications, browser extensions, features built into web browsers, and services integrated with an operating system. A vault may remain on one device, be synchronized through a provider's servers, or be copied between devices through a separate file-storage service. By generating and storing a different password for each account, a password manager can reduce the need to memorize many passwords or reuse the same password across accounts.
Because a single vault may contain credentials for many accounts, the vault and its master password are valuable targets for attack. Security depends on how the vault is protected and on features such as autofill, synchronization, sharing, and account recovery. Users may also avoid or stop using password managers because of concerns about security or control, inconvenience, or compatibility with websites.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Password manager” is software for storing and retrieving passwords/credentials. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Password, manager and software, not as a finished interpretation.
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This entry incorporates text from “Password manager” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.