An export file is a portable file format used to move passwords, passkeys, or other secrets from one manager or system to another. In practice, it is a manual handoff: a user exports data from one tool, then imports it into another. Common formats may be CSV or another vendor-specific bundle, but the key security property is the same — the secrets exist in a file that can be copied, opened, backed up, or left behind.
Export files matter because they expand the attack surface during migration. If the file is stored on disk, cloud-synced, emailed, or shared through an unsafe channel, it can be intercepted or recovered by malware, an insider, or a careless user. Defenders prefer controlled transfer paths that reduce how long secrets exist in portable form and keep the exchange inside authenticated, user-approved sessions. Replacing export-file workflows with direct, on-device credential exchange is a common way to lower risk.