The spreadsheet of shared passwords
has to go.
Here’s what replaces it.
your IT provider isn’t recommending one password manager. Here’s what actually separates a real vault from a shared document with extra steps.
Find your vault type before you talk to a vendor
A few quick questions. We'll highlight the closest fit below, then you can read why.
Three vault types, three different jobs
Vendors bundle these differently and brand them however marketing wants that quarter. The underlying job each one does is what actually matters.
Personal Password Managers
Per-employee vaults, self-managed, no central oversight.
- Cheapest and fastest to roll out
- No visibility for admins into shared risk
- Good first step, not a full solution
Business Password Manager
Centralized vaults with shared access and admin oversight.
- Admins see and control shared account access
- Audit trail of who accessed what, when
- Doesn’t cover application secrets or API keys
Enterprise Secrets Management
Automated rotation and storage for API keys and service credentials, not just people.
- Removes hardcoded secrets from code
- Automated rotation on a real schedule
- Built for systems, not just human logins
12 questions to ask any password & secrets management vendor
Click each one off as you go. Bring what's left to the sales call, a vendor who gets defensive about any of these is telling you something.
Are shared passwords visible to admins in plain text, or hidden even from them?
What happens to vault access the day someone leaves?
Is there an audit log of who accessed which credential, and when?
Are application secrets stored here too or still scattered across code?
Does it enforce password strength and rotation, or just store what’s typed in?
Is there a break-glass process for emergency access to a critical account?
Does it integrate with your SSO or become one more login to manage?
Are secrets rotated automatically or does someone have to remember?
What’s the recovery process if the master vault password is lost?
Does it flag reused or weak passwords across the whole organization?
Is there a personal vault option so employees stop reusing passwords elsewhere?
Can you get a straight answer to all eleven questions above, in writing?
6 signs your password & secrets management is a liability, not a defense
These show up constantly in businesses that thought they were covered.
Shared account passwords live in a spreadsheet or a sticky note.
The same password is reused across dozens of accounts.
API keys and secrets are hardcoded directly into application code.
Nobody has changed the admin password since the system was set up.
A former employee could still guess or recall a shared password.
There’s no record of who has ever accessed a sensitive shared credential.
The buzzwords, decoded
We’ll look at what you actually have, then tell you the truth about it.
No vendor commission riding on the answer. Just a straight read on whether your credentials are actually safe.
Get a Credential Risk CheckGet in touch with Your Company
Questions about this solution? Reach us directly.