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.