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0 pointsbenrbray8y ago0 comments

Password managers don't help when you need to log in to a computer you don't own, e.g. a public computer at a library or office. Using password managers just makes it easier to lock yourself out when you need access most.

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7 comments · 2 top-level

octalmage8y ago· 3 in thread

You've got web interfaces and mobile apps. I use 1password and don't have this problem.

brandon2728y ago

I have no interest in logging into a password manager web interface on a public PC. (But that's just me.)

phdp8y ago

You don't. You pull up your password on your phone and type it in manually onto the computer.

darylfritz8y ago

Thanks to 2FA, I don't have a huge concern logging into a password manager on a public PC.

tomp8y ago· 2 in thread

I wonder if there's another way to solve this problem. For example, a plug-in that would store cookies as opposed to passwords - and then "populate" a new session with existing cookies to log you in transparently.

y4mi8y ago

that sounds like a security nightmare...

talking from experience: some sites also map the cookie to a browser id, making a migration useless. It just causes your session to get invalidated.

You can test this yourself because its pretty easy to 'import' cookies between browsers on the same pc. or it was the last time i tried it.

tomp8y ago

More of a security nightmare than passwords? Maybe, though I can't see why...

Anyways, yeah I thought about binding auth cookies to some kind of persistent hash, although I'm not sure what it could be... IPs change (laptops moving), so do user agents (browser upgrades)... I guess I'll need to test this!

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