A key which is a peripheral device which can directly connect to a host
and stores multiple passwords and associated access data. The peripheral
device includes an interface to a port of the host for establishing a
connection. The peripheral device includes a processor and memory for
storing the passwords and a program for both communicating with the host
through the port, and for accessing the passwords and associated access
data. Unlike the prior art, the present invention does not require the
user to have a smart card reader or other token reader in order to access
the passwords. In one aspect of the invention, the peripheral device
incorporates a form of artificial intelligence to observe and later
emulate a user's initial logon to a site. The software not only will
recognize the site by storing characteristics of it, but will be able to
automatically adapt to variations, if the login page is subsequently
modified. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides for
automatically entering passwords in login forms.