Online Password Managers

Dear Monica,

Is it safe for me to use online password managers?  I like to use them because I have a hard time memorizing all the different passwords I use.  Also, is it true the government can access all of my passwords?

Signed,

Forgetful in Akwesasne

Dear Forgetful in Akwesasne,

Online bad guys want the most return on their investment, so they are more likely to attack online password managers instead of trying to steal one individual password at a time.  Yes, it is possible for someone else to access your passwords and a quick google search will show you many articles about the recent controversy regarding online data and big brother.  

Jacob Williams is a forensic scientist and security penetration tester, he stated that “a hacker with access to the victim’s machine could walk away with passwords.”  Tyler Pitchford is an attorney, and when asked if the government can legally request your password, he stated, “If the access password is written down, they can request a copy, if the access password is in your mind they need an exception to the Fifth Amendment such as the foregone-conclusion doctrine.”

Many developers response to government demands to release passwords has been generally, “We can’t give them what we don’t have.” As a software developer, the best information I can share about this topic is to hope the ROI is not interesting enough for bad guys, to stay off government watch lists, and to find developers that are trust worthy.

Send your questions and comments about computers and the internet to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to answer you in future stories.