Gender Bias in Password Managers

TL;DR

This study uncovers gender bias in password manager preferences and usage, revealing significant differences in choices, features, and factors influencing selection between women and men.

Contribution

It is the first to empirically demonstrate gender bias in password manager preferences through interviews and surveys, highlighting specific differences in features and decision factors.

Findings

Women and men prefer different password managers.

Significant differences in features used by gender.

Distinct factors influence password manager choices.

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.