1Password data security
Before storing all your valuable information in 1Password, you want to know your information is safe and cannot be stolen.
Your data is encrypted using your master password
When you run 1Password for the first time, you must define a master password that is used to encrypt your data. No one will be able to view your passwords or other confidential information without knowing the master password.
All you need to do to stay secure is to pick one strong password and commit it to memory. Since it is only a single password, you can make it long and unpredictable.
When you leave your computer, simply lock 1Password, and your data will be secure. With its built-in, automatic locking options, 1Password can protect you even if you forget to lock it.
Local data storage
All your data is stored on your local hard drive. Even if you choose to store your data online, your strong master password puts you in complete control, making your 1Password data more secure.
How safe is my 1Password data in the cloud?
Your 1Password data is encrypted before it is stored or transmitted anywhere. If you use Dropbox to sync your 1Password data across devices, the copy of your 1Password data that is stored on the Dropbox system is protected by that encryption. Even if your private Dropbox account were to be compromised, an attacker would need your master password—which only you know—to decrypt your 1Password data.
How safe is my 1Password data in the cloud?
Your 1Password data is very safe in the cloud. Your 1Password data is encrypted before it gets stored or transmitted anywhere. If you use Dropbox to sync your 1Password data across devices, a copy of your 1Password data is stored on the Dropbox system. Even if Dropbox were to be compromised, an attacker would need your master password, which only you know, to decrypt it.
How strong is 1Password’s encryption?
The short answer is that it is very strong.
The slightly longer answer is that your data is encrypted using AES, the same state-of-the-art encryption algorithm used as the national standard in the United States. 1Password uses 128-bit keys for encryption, which means that it would take millions of years for a criminal to decrypt your data using a brute force attack.
For the really long answer, full technical details on the encryption algorithm, key generation, and FIPS compliance, please see the Agile Keychain Design document in the help for our 1Password for Mac product. Some of those details are elaborated on in our cloud storage security document.
Is 1Password more secure than the competition?
People often associate the strength of the encryption algorithm with the number of bits used in the encryption key. Our view on encryption is that it is a very serious business, and the strength of the encryption algorithm cannot be reduced to the size of the key.
We know how complex encryption algorithms and protocols can be, so we decided to leave it to the experts instead of inventing our own. The 1Password application does not contain a single line of encryption code; instead we use libraries developed, tested, and scrutinized by professional cryptographers.
True browser integration increases security
When wondering about how secure 1Password is, you are likely to evaluate the competition—always a good idea!—so it’s important to note that that encryption is not the only thing that makes 1Password secure.
1Password offers what no other program does: a great management tool on your desktop and true browser integration. Many programs provide safe storage areas for your data, which is great, but what happens when you want to actually use that data where you need it most, in your web browser? Some programs require you to manually add your data to them and then manually copy the data to your browser. This isn’t just inconvenient—as soon as “copy and paste” are introduced, you’re vulnerable to key loggers and phishing attacks. Other programs limit data management to what’s available within the web browsers. 1Password gives you both full browser integration and a powerful and easy-to-use program for managing your data.
1Password works for you. You can save Login items automatically, fill login forms, and even generate strong passwords, all from within the browser, which means you are protected from key loggers and other malware, as well as from phishing scams.