Types of hardware password managers
Storing information in a physical password manager is better than writing your passwords on sticky notes or in an Excel spreadsheet, as they can’t be easily hacked or read by a passerby. The best part is that the hardware password managers come in many types, allowing you choose one that best fits your needs.
Depending on your preference, you can choose a hardware password manager that’s either entirely offline or offer various authentication methods, such as 2FA. Privacy advocates who refrain from using password manager software can definitely find at least one type that fits their needs.
Electronic Storage Organizers
An electronic storage organizer is an offline handheld device for easily accessing credentials. It usually comes with an auto-lock feature that prevents user access for a set period of time after consecutive unsuccessful PIN attempts.
What’s great about an electronic storage device is that its vault is virtually impossible to access since the hardware stores all credentials away from the computer and the internet. Moreover, it comes with built-in flash memory that keeps everything safe during a battery change. In other words, your passwords remain safe even if the hardware suddenly shuts down.
USB password keepers
It can’t get any more convenient than a USB password manager that fits perfectly on a keychain. When plugged into a PC or Mac, passwords are pasted on the relevant field by simply pushing a button on the device. This means that there’s no chance of someone snatching a password via keylogging.
Even better, a USB password keeper also generates passwords natively, so there’s no need to come up with different passwords every time on your own. Many versions can create complex passwords, too.
Hardware security keys
Technically not a password keeper, a hardware security key integrates with offline and online password managers. It’s like a small, durable, and portable 2FA device for creating OTPs effortlessly.
To be precise, OTPs can be generated on the device effortlessly and transferred to any PC, Mac, or cell phone via USB or NFC link. Hardware security keys are inserted into a USB port and typically incorporate touch-based authentication for mobile devices, which makes SMS as a verification method redundant.
These devices are incredibly difficult to hack or clone, especially remotely. Without having the device physically, a cybercriminal has virtually no way in.
Are offline password storage devices reliable?
There are a few downsides to using hardware password managers. Firstly, it can be time-consuming to find credentials through them because not all devices have a search function. There’s the problem of theft, too. Though password storage devices indeed auto-lock when the PIN is entered several times incorrectly, that doesn’t mean your data is completely free from unauthorized access.
Anyone with malicious intent can just perform an easy Google search to find out how to get all your information after resetting the device. Furthermore, since most hardware password managers don’t offer a backup feature, users would have to reset and create new passwords for all their accounts.
Password storage devices may be better than writing your passwords on paper, but they’re still not the safest way to protect your personal data. If you avoid using a password manager because you don’t trust company servers with your confidential data, there are a few solutions that store everything locally.
Nevertheless, considering that the best password managers, such as RoboForm, 1Password, and Dashlane, encrypt your data locally with at least military-grade AES-256 encryption, you can be sure that noone besides you can access your information. Of course, it’s best to choose a solution that doesn’t store the users’ master password on the company’s servers to ensure your information is safe at all times.
Daniel C.
Richárd Z.
Sharmaine G.
At age 87 I can’t remember combinations of which username for which system (e.g. safari vs. Google), which program, URL and password. I’d like an external password manager if possible.
Hello David Rees, and thank you much for contacting us. When using a password manager, you indeed don’t need to remember your passwords anymore since it stores all your credentials. Accessing the software itself requires remembering a master password. Fortunately, some password managers like 1Password also offer an emergency kit for this purpose that you can print and put away. As for which specific password manager to use, you can find several reviews throughout our website, so we recommend reading those first. You should start with our startpage and FAQ to find out what features you’re looking for and continue on with our best three recommendations. Have a nice day, and let us know if you need further advice.