iOS 11's most underrated security feature? A password manager

Apple's iOS 11 comes with a new feature that could finally make passwords less annoying.

The iPhone and iPad software comes with a password manager, which lets users access their account details for apps and websites.

Security

Cyber security 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government

Simple steps can make the difference between losing your online accounts or maintaining what is now a precious commodity: Your privacy.

Read now

Whenever a login box appears -- including in apps -- a small key-prompt will appear, allowing the user to open their bank of passwords. The password manager is protected by the user's device passcode, or Touch ID if it's enabled, to prevent others from snooping.

In many cases, if there is just one set of credentials for an app or website, users will be presented their username or email address. And, with one tap, the login fields are populated with the user's password.

Many users new to iOS 11 will find that their password manager already be populated with login information. That's because passwords that were saved in Safari -- either on older versions of iOS or their Macs -- are now stored in the iOS 11's password manager. The key difference is that the saved passwords now work within apps, too.

Password managers are ever increasing in popularity because they take the effort out of remembering your entire set of account passwords across various apps, websites, and services. In most cases, password managers encourage users to use strong, unique passwords, which prevent hackers from reusing stolen credentials from one service to attack a user on another site.

Although the feature is a boon for personal user security, it won't be a death knell to other password managers -- many of which have far more security and privacy-focused features packed in than Apple's relatively barebones version. At the time of writing, for example, the password manager feature doesn't allow users to generate passwords, a feature of most other password managers.

Given that the iOS 11 software is still in pre-release mode, it's possible its functionality and feature set may change.

Apple's iOS 11 is set to be released alongside the upcoming iPhone 8 at an event slated for Sept. 12.

ZDNET INVESTIGATIONS

Researchers say a breathalyzer has flaws, casting doubt on countless convictions

Lawsuits threaten infosec research — just when we need it most

NSA's Ragtime program targets Americans, leaked files show

Leaked TSA documents reveal New York airport's wave of security lapses

US government pushed tech firms to hand over source code

Millions of Verizon customer records exposed in security lapse

Meet the shadowy tech brokers that deliver your data to the NSA

Inside the global terror watchlist that secretly shadows millions

198 million Americans hit by 'largest ever' voter records leak

Britain has passed the 'most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy'

Microsoft says 'no known ransomware' runs on Windows 10 S — so we tried to hack it

Leaked document reveals UK plans for wider internet surveillance

• Researchers say a breathalyzer has flaws, casting doubt on countless convictions
• Lawsuits threaten infosec research — just when we need it most
• NSA's Ragtime program targets Americans, leaked files show
• Leaked TSA documents reveal New York airport's wave of security lapses
• US government pushed tech firms to hand over source code
• Millions of Verizon customer records exposed in security lapse
• Meet the shadowy tech brokers that deliver your data to the NSA
• Inside the global terror watchlist that secretly shadows millions
• 198 million Americans hit by 'largest ever' voter records leak
• Britain has passed the 'most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy'
• Microsoft says 'no known ransomware' runs on Windows 10 S — so we tried to hack it
• Leaked document reveals UK plans for wider internet surveillance