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macoskeychainosx-elcapitan

My Keychain shows The Password encrypted or XML?

I logged in keychain on my MacBook Pro El Capitan and click to show password but I get it encrypted like image below or XML like the other image. I can't figure out where the problem is. My password is correct and keychain is unlocked with it. So why it gives me the protected password or XML!

Solution

  • It's because it's not a password you typed but an application-made credential. The contents of a keychain item is not always a password you typed, and often in the case of Apple and other Cloud systems it's a token or OAuth ID that simply represents the fact that at some point you logged in somewhere and allowed a computer or app to access your account. From that point forward the app or computer you authorised uses a special key or token to act on your behalf.

    The reason this is done is twofold:

    1. Security: your password isn't stored and therefore can't really be 'stolen'. Since the token can be revoked from the other side (i.e. from your Apple ID or Google account) and usually is only valid for a specific computer it's not something you can 'steal' and use elsewhere as-is. It is still sensitive information that can be used to impersonate the trust between your account and the computer.

    2. Ease of use (or, automation): if the application or computer you authorised needs to act on your behalf, it would be annoying to retype your password all the time. Using a special kind of authentication allows the computer or app to do certain things on your behalf, but not every possible action as there usually are limits to how many things it's allowed to do in your name before you have to re-authorise the ID with your password. So while your Apple ID can be used to receive iMessages once you are logged in, that same token won't allow some other app to 'read' your stored credit card information or change your email address.

    Long story short: it's not a password (it's a token), it's not for you (it's for computers), it's a 'special ID' and it's for the apps that added it to the keychain to function in your name.