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Apr 12, 2001
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Password managers are a great way to keep your logins secure. Instead of using Post-It Notes or spreadsheets to keep track of your passwords, password managers like 1Password -- and Apple's new password management options and API in iOS 12 -- allow you to store unique and difficult to crack passwords like (jW2cBCJXXhF in a way that is easily accessible and secure.

But one of the downsides to making your NYTimes password BKtat8uW(aJb is the difficulty in sharing it with someone else. There are lots of reasons you might want to share a password, and Apple has made it much easier in the new iOS 12 Beta. Now, you can share passwords with other people directly from the iOS Password Manager via AirDrop.

passwordsios12.jpeg

On an iOS 12 device, open the iOS Settings app and go to Website & App Passwords. Then, select a login, tap on the password field and an option to AirDrop the login will appear. The login can be AirDropped to any iOS 12 or macOS Mojave device. Users on both devices are required to authenticate via Touch ID or Face ID (or a regular old password, depending on which Mac you have) before the password can be sent or saved.

The new password management API (and this sharing system) is meant to streamline and simplify the way passwords work on iOS devices. Apple will automatically suggest strong, unique passwords, with iOS 12 offering the tools to create, store, and retrieve passwords no matter where an account is created. The new features work in both third-party apps like 1Password, as well as Safari. All of your passwords will be stored in iCloud Keychain no matter where they are created and they are synced across all of your devices.

For third-party password apps, such as 1Password or LastPass, Apple is adding a new Password Autofill Extension that will let these password management apps to supply autofill passwords in apps and Safari, making it much easier to enter a password stored in an app like 1Password or LastPass.

Also new in iOS 12 is a feature that lets you ask Siri to get your passwords. With a simple command like "Siri, show me my passwords," Siri will open up your iCloud Keychain after you authenticate your identity with a fingerprint, a Face ID scan, or a passcode.

iOS 12 is available now as a developer beta, with public betas expected later this month and a final public release expected in early fall.

Article Link: Share Passwords With AirDrop From iOS 12's New Password Management System
 

OldSchoolMacGuy

Suspended
Jul 10, 2008
4,197
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This thread will be filled with people complaining "What if someone steals your phone, gets into it, and then sends all your passwords to someone‽" Just like someone stealing your iPhone X, pointing it at your face, and unlocking it as they run away, it'll never happen but MacRumors members will worry about it and see it as a huge issue.
 

NMBob

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2007
1,903
2,415
New Mexico
Is it sharing the REAL password, like "12345678", or is it just an object that represents the password. I'd be worried about sharing a password with someone who doesn't worry about security.
 
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OldSchoolMacGuy

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Jul 10, 2008
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Share passwords?!
Is this being serious and credible about security?

You can either read your password out loud, or send it to them this way, in which it's encrypted. With this method, while they gain access, they never actually get the plaintext password. Much more secure than the alternative.

iOS already offers the ability to share wifi password access with someone else remotely. That way you don't need to give them your wifi password but can give them access to it.
 

OldSchoolMacGuy

Suspended
Jul 10, 2008
4,197
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Is it sharing the REAL password, like "12345678", or is it just an object that represents the password. I'd be worried about sharing a password with someone who doesn't worry about security.

Shares the encrypted password. That way you don't have to read it out loud to them. They never have access to the plain text password.

iOS 11 already allows you to do this with wifi passwords. Put your phone next to a friends and it'll ask if you want to share the wifi password.
 

Unimpossible

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2018
56
29
You can either read your password out loud, or send it to them this way, in which it's encrypted. With this method, while they gain access, they never actually get the plaintext password. Much more secure than the alternative.

iOS already offers the ability to share wifi password access with someone else remotely. That way you don't need to give them your wifi password but can give them access to it.
Yes. I get that.
Still, this is not a credible way to advocate password and security awareness.
 

udayan81

macrumors regular
Sep 8, 2017
137
258
Looks like a fun challenge for hackers to find a security flaw.. :p. Just like the time they locked out users through iCloud passwords.
 

ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
6,787
11,097
Share passwords?!
Is this being serious and credible about security?
It's being realistic. People share passwords for legitimate reasons and this is a way to do it that's more convenient than saying it and more secure than pasting into an email or text.

I find my 1Password account works very well for this in that you can set up a shared vault and select specific logins to share with your family or team or whatever.
 

dragje

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2012
874
681
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
"For third-party password apps, such as 1Password or LastPass, Apple is adding a new Password Autofill Extension that will let these password management apps to supply autofill passwords in apps and Safari, making it much easier to enter a password stored in an app like 1Password or LastPass."

That's really nice! I use 1Password, so this will be a very nice feature.
 

ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
6,787
11,097
unique and difficult to crack passwords like (jW2cBCJXXhF in a way that is easily accessible and secure.

But one of the downsides to making your NYTimes password BKtat8uW(aJb is the difficulty in sharing it with someone else.

Alright, since nobody else has, I'll just drop this here. There's no real reason to make your password "BKtat8uW(aJb" unless you're already using a password manager and will never have to type it — or you just hate yourself.

If you're wanting or needing to remember passwords or relate them to other humans, you can make memorable ones that are just fine (source):

password_strength.png
 

WestonHarvey1

macrumors 68030
Jan 9, 2007
2,771
2,187
Alright, since nobody else has, I'll just drop this here. There's no real reason to make your password "BKtat8uW(aJb" unless you're already using a password manager and will never have to type it — or you just hate yourself.

If you're wanting or needing to remember passwords or relate them to other humans, you can make memorable ones that are just fine (source):

View attachment 765217

Many, many systems will not allow a password like "correct horse battery staple". This is not useful advice since you can't use it everywhere.
 
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kylew1212

macrumors 6502
Oct 17, 2017
353
327
Huntsville, AL
Shares the encrypted password. That way you don't have to read it out loud to them. They never have access to the plain text password.

iOS 11 already allows you to do this with wifi passwords. Put your phone next to a friends and it'll ask if you want to share the wifi password.


I'm all for this capability, however OldSchoolMacGuy your post is not 100% correct.

Once the password is shared via AirDrop (which is encrypted) it is added to the users keychain. At that point they can view it in plain text from the app & passwords section in settings. In my opinion this is a non issue because you trust the person enough to give access, but I wanted to point this out for general knowledge.
 
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imnieves

macrumors newbie
May 13, 2016
2
0
There are lots of reasons you might want to share a password

Really? Can you give 3 examples please?
Ideally these examples do not defeat the purpose of a password and do not increase the risk of a password being leaked.
 

Saipher

macrumors 6502
Oct 25, 2014
302
1,161
CA, USA
iOS 11 already allows you to do this with wifi passwords. Put your phone next to a friends and it'll ask if you want to share the wifi password.

I don't want to sound like a total noob but how do you do that? I'm guessing the guest needs to be in the list of available Wi-Fis trying to join my network and I should get a popup to share the password.
 

Unimpossible

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2018
56
29
:rolleyes: Please, tell us what a better way to share your passwords is?
Simple. You don't.
And at least not in this way, where you can see the password in clear text after the transfer.
[doublepost=1528399900][/doublepost]
Alright, since nobody else has, I'll just drop this here. There's no real reason to make your password "BKtat8uW(aJb" unless you're already using a password manager and will never have to type it — or you just hate yourself.

If you're wanting or needing to remember passwords or relate them to other humans, you can make memorable ones that are just fine (source):

View attachment 765217
This is not as simple as this comic portrays this. There are factors here it doesn't address.
 

adrianlondon

macrumors 603
Nov 28, 2013
5,000
7,497
Switzerland
Shares the encrypted password. That way you don't have to read it out loud to them. They never have access to the plain text password..
password sharing usage should be set to once, today, this week, ...,
Surely the person receiving the password, if they have a mac, can just open keychain and get the password? Same as one would for shared wifi passwords. Or even just view the website/app password on the phone itself (settings / passwords & accounts).
 
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