Ask HN: Are service providers breaking the login process for password managers?

11 points·coronadisaster··7 comments

They Keep changing the typing process for login in for no apparent reason.... for example, one just changed it from [type user]{tab}[type pass]{tab}{enter} to [type user]{tab}{enter}{delay 1000}{tab}{tab}[type pass]{tab}{enter}.

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Often the reason for having the user and password fields on separate 'screens' is to facilitate federated logon.

I.e. if someone has an account where they 'Logged in with Google' or it is connected to an IDAM solution like Okta or Duo, they don't have a password for the site so shouldn't be prompted for it.

As for the delay and any other nonsense, I'm not sure. Perhaps design winning over usability?

This is exactly it and it’s becoming more and more common.

I have noticed that the password field is just hidden on some sites (as opposed to added or on the next page) and lastpass manages to fill it so once the JavaScript reveals the field it’s ready to hit submit.

It would be nice if this could be somehow standardised.

most likely

Some logins (Twilio, Namcheap) function poorly for me, others are great. Sometimes I can't get chrome to remember sign in on Google properties.

Do password managers really just send a series of keystrokes, as opposed to just detecting elements and populating them directly? This problem actually sounds familiar from the first time I tried using a password manager, over a decade ago. But I've been using 1password for about a year and haven't had any issues, including on multi-screen login forms.

Generally third party applications should not be injecting themselves into your browser and "populating them directly" ...

The auto-type stuff is usually an external one, not a browser addon.

That looks more like a silly error than anything else. Password managers are unavoidable and help keep users on services.

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