Even Password Managers are Vulnerable to Malware Attacks

Are Password Managers Vulnerable to Malware Attacks?

Many people keep their valuable information and files on a computer, and the only thing preventing others from seeing it is the Secure and Hack-Proof, Strong Password.

Choosing the right password is something that many people find challenging, but with nearly every site and app requiring users to sign up for an account that remembering them all can be a real problem.

Password managers are a useful program which not only keeps all of your more detailed logins under one roof but can also generate the random strings of lowercase and uppercase letters, a special symbol, and numbers required to protect your online accounts from hackers and scammers.

Passwords are saved to a ‘vault’ that is itself protected by a user-devised master password.

However, can it really be safe to save all your passwords under one place? How can we expect to respond when the password manager itself gets hacked?

But seriously, are password managers vulnerable to malware attacks? First, the bad news: yes.

The vulnerable password managers can enable cyber-attackers to gain system/data access and steal your login credentials from the PC’s memory.

Four popular password managers

The four password managers in question are Dashlane, LastPass, KeePass, and 1Password7. These applications are not designed to be malicious – but they do have functions which are making them a vulnerable target for the mass collection of data through malicious hacking campaigns.

Cybersecurity experts examined the security of password managers including Dashlane, LastPass KeePass and 1Password7 and found that the products didn't always encrypt and then delete password data in the PC's background processes.

Even the master password, which can be used to unlock and access any information stored in their databases, can be exposed.

Also Read: Best Guide on How to Remove Fazathron.exe Virus from PC

For instance, 1Password7 will decrypt all your individual passwords and store them as plain text in the computer's memory when the password manager turns on.

The login information—including the master password—will also persist in the PC's memory when the product is still running, but in a locked state.

The research reports show that “the user needs to exit the password manager completely in order to clear sensitive information from the PC’s memory.”

Dashlane, on the other hand, will only expose a login credential exclusively, depending on which password the user is pursuing to access.

LastPass exhibits a similar problem, and can also leak the login information even after the application returns to a locked state.

Given the popularity of password managers among the users, however, if used with malicious intent, research indicated that it will entice cyber-attackers to target and steal personal data from these computers via malware attacks which can open your computer to all kinds of disarray—not just password theft.

Conclusion

Make no mistake, we’re engaging in cyberwar when password manager is both the weapon of mass demolition and part of the sophisticated solution.

Nowadays, criminals have learned to make their malware more adaptable, resilient and more destructive. Hence, what do we need? While no silver bullet can guard you against all cyber threats at the same time.

Thus, it is essential to upgrade our cyber defense structures and processes to more effectively guard against cybersecurity threats, as well as to respond in a timely and robust manner to prevent any future attacks.

Note* - We recommend ITL Total Security and Malware crusher, among the best reputed anti-malware software which will help you to block viruses, extensions, hijackers, adware and other malware on your PC.

They are fully loaded with certain useful features like Real-Time Protection, Web Protection, Live updates, and many more to protect your system from damage and keep you safe always.

Tips to Prevent virus and malware from Infecting Your System: