Passwords are a pain to type in and to remember. Yes, there are alternatives such as keepass. The weak point of such solutions is that they are software based. If your master keepass password gets compromised, the hacker has all your passwords. Software based password vaults are also a pain to transfer between different devices.

What's needed is a physical box that contains all your passwords. This box would be the size of a wireless USB dongle with a single button on the side. The box would emulate a keyboard. When you press the button, your entire password would be typed for you. When you're done, you simply take your password with you.

Options:

- multiple-buttons multiple passwords (the buttons would make the box bigger, but might be worth it)

- single-button multiple patterns. One press = password1, Two presses = password2, Press and hold = password3 etc.

- partial password (box types 6 keys for you and you finish the other 6 by hand). That way if the box is stolen, the bad guys only have half of your password.
-- ixnaum, Aug 29 2014

Baked (or soon to be) https://www.indiego...pen-source-hardware
[ixnaum, Aug 29 2014]

Sorry for everyone who left comments (I accidentally deleted this idea - had to recreate it)
-- ixnaum, Aug 29 2014


nevermind ... this is baked (see link)
-- ixnaum, Aug 29 2014


How does this offer any protection? If the box is just a keyboard emulator, your password is just as vulnerable to hacking.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 29 2014


You are right. It's same as a keyboard but better.

Advantages over keyboard:
+ People can't watch you type (all they can watch is that you pressed a button)
+ People can't sniff your keystrokes across the room (by sound or wireless)
+ You don't need to remember your password
+ Faster

Advantages over software methods:
+ If your password is keylogged you lose only 1 password. Not all your passwords as it would be the case if you were keylogged while getting into your keepass.

Advantages over USB token methods:
+ Works anywhere with anything that accepts keyboard typed passwords
+ Much simpler infrastructure
-- ixnaum, Aug 29 2014



random, halfbakery