ETH Zurich researchers have discovered major security flaws in three popular cloud-based password managers - Bitwarden, LastPass, and Dashlane - which together serve 60 million users^[1]. The team demonstrated 25 different attacks that could compromise user passwords, including 12 on Bitwarden, 7 on LastPass, and 6 on Dashlane.

The researchers found they could view and modify stored passwords by setting up servers that mimicked compromised password manager servers^[1:1]. These attacks worked through routine user actions like logging in, viewing passwords, or syncing data. “We were surprised by the severity of the security vulnerabilities,” said Professor Kenneth Paterson of ETH Zurich^[1:2].

The vulnerabilities stem from complex code designed to enhance user-friendliness, such as password recovery and family sharing features. The providers were given 90 days to fix the security issues before publication^[1:3].

The researchers recommend users choose password managers that:

• Are transparent about security vulnerabilities
• Undergo external audits
• Have end-to-end encryption enabled by default^[1:4]