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Focus on Password Managers
Cybersecurity Analysis of ten Password-Managers
Start: 11/2024
End: 10/2025

Password managers have now become one of the most important tools for enhancing digital security. They offer not only convenience but, significantly higher password quality in everyday use. Nevertheless, many people continue to avoid them—often due to uncertainty or a lack of trust, as a previous survey by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) showed. This leads to the practice of forgoing complex and, above all, unique passwords for digital accounts simply out of convenience.

The BSI examined ten password managers together with the FZI Research Center for Information Technology, evaluating their conceptual security features. In the report on IT Security on the Digital Consumer Market: Focus on Password Managers, it became clear that there are significant differences between the tested password managers. When choosing a password manager, it is therefore worth taking a closer look.

The project involved the examination of ten password managers with regard to the security features they provide and their conceptual security.

To this end, an evaluation concept was established, and the individual products were then examined for their phishing protection, the cryptography used, their protection against insecure passwords, and their overall security concept. The individual products showed a very uneven level of security; in some cases, the product vendors were able to access the stored passwords.

In addition to the results for the individual products, overarching requirements for password managers as well as recommendations for consumers and manufacturers wer derived.

Role of the FZI
The FZI Research Center for Information Technology was involved in the project as the BSI's specialist partner and carried out the technical work. In particular, we developed the evaluation concept, which—with 68 test items—enabled an in-depth examination of the entire security concept and ensured that the results were comparable across the individual products. We also conducted the technical investigations on behalf of the BSI and prepared the reports for the manufacturers, as well as the content of the final report in close coordination with the BSI.

More information
Contact person

Niklas Goerke
Department Manager
Division: Cybersecurity and Law
+49 721 9654-643
goerke@fzi.de
Headquarters Karlsruhe

Research focus
Security and Resilience

Security and resilience for the digital future: Our research strengthens the cybersecurity, safety, and data protection of businesses and governments.

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