Gender Bias in Password Managers

Abstract

For the first time, we report gender bias in people's choice and use of password managers, through a semi-structured interview ($n=18$) and a questionnaire-based survey ($n=200$, conducted `in the wild'). Not only do women and men prefer different types of password managers, but software features that women and men frequently use also differ. These differences are statistically significant. The factors that women and men consider the most important or influential in choosing their password managers differ, too. Choice of convenience and brand are on the top of the women's consideration, whereas security and the number of features top the list for men. This difference is statistically significant.