Other Users Can See Your Passwords If You’re Using Google Chrome

If you’re using Google Chrome at work there is a chance others can view the passwords you use to log-in to sites.

Keeping your passwords safe is not easy, but can be done with these precautions. 

(Photo: iStockphoto)

There are hundred of social media websites and apps a single user has to manage these days and all these accounts come with their own set of baggage, particularly having to remember passwords.

Now, the good thing about technology is that it has provided us with certain tools that help manage and remember passwords. There are many apps today that help you do so.

But, did you know that even Google is keeping a track of all the passwords you’re using on its browser (Google Chrome) and those passwords can end up easily being seen by someone else, if you’re not careful?

TLDR? Listen to the story here:

One Office One Password Policy

Most office goers use workstations and computers provided by the company which usually share a common log-in ID and password.

The same computer can be used by multiple co-workers and that’s something that can get you in trouble. It’s similar to what happens at cyber cafes.

If by chance someday you leave your workstation unattended, you’d think that the worst that could happen is a bunch of your friends or coworkers would play a prank by posting something humorous on your Facebook timeline. Turns out there could be more severe consequences.

Many people log-in to Google Chrome via their personal Gmail accounts at their workplaces. The moment you’re logged into Google, it links all your active Google accounts to that desktop.

If someone gets access to your desktop with your Google ID still logged in, they can have a look at all the passwords you have used to access different social media accounts. This happens only if you have asked Google to remember the passwords for easy access or auto log-in at any point in the past, on any other device.

Most people inadvertently activate the “Auto Sign-In” option which remembers passwords to websites and doesn’t require the user to enter the password every time they log-in. And Chrome auto-syncs tabs on different devices. Again, I’d recommend you never use this feature on public computers.

Google Password Manager

Every Chrome browser has a password managing feature in its Settings tab (under the three-dot menu). There you can view all the websites that you have accessed and have asked Google to save passwords for.

The Passwords feature in the Settings tab in Google Chrome is where all the passwords are saved.(Photo: Google Chrome screenshot)

If you wish to see these passwords, you have to tap the ‘eye’ icon on the right of the web address.

You can also delete the passwords for particular websites from the Passwords tab.(Photo: Google Chrome screenshot)

An option pops up which asks you to enter the computer log-in ID and password. It’s the same ID you use to log-in to your computer. Once you enter that you’ll be able to see the password you have used for that particular website.

There is also an option for one to download all the passwords used for different sites.

An option to export all the passwords.(Photo: Google Chrome screenshot)

All that is need to gain access is the desktop’s log-in ID and password. Scary right?

You need to enter you computer’s log-in ID and password to view all Google passwords saved in the system.(Photo: Google Chrome screenshot)

Get Your Workstation Sorted

The first thing you need to do to avoid this issue is to sort out your passwords in the Passwords tab in Google Chrome Settings and delete all the websites which hold sensitive user information like banking websites, social media accounts etc.

There is also a tab which shows all the websites that never remember the password you enter.(Photo: Google Chrome screenshot)

Never access any financial websites from public computers. Also, if you don’t have an option and must access them, make sure you don’t allow Google to remember the password in any way. And remember to SIGN OUT. Especially from Google Chrome.

The best way to ensure that others don’t gain access is to ALWAYS log out of your Google account when you’re not around your workstation. Because there is a chance that someone might still be able to access your desktop using a common company log-in ID.

There is also a tab in the Passwords options where you can view all the websites you haven’t given Google the permission to save passwords, just so you can verify this.

Stay safe and PLEASE TRY THIS AT HOME.