Is a Recovery Key considered more or less useful than a password?

A Recovery Key is typically considered less useful than a password because its primary function is to provide a backup method for accessing data, particularly in situations where the primary access method (like a password) fails or is forgotten. Recovery Keys often serve as a one-time emergency access tool rather than a routinely used security measure.

In many systems, a password is used frequently and is designed to secure access effectively based on the understanding that users will remember it and update it regularly for ongoing security. Recovery Keys, in contrast, may not be known or remembered by the user, as they are usually generated at the onset of securing data and could be stored in a separate location for emergencies.

Additionally, passwords can include mechanisms for periodic updates and complexity requirements to enhance security. This makes passwords typically more integral to the day-to-day function of user authentication and data protection than Recovery Keys, which might only be required in limited situations.

The hierarchy of usefulness between passwords and Recovery Keys emphasizes this regular and proactive use of passwords over the more situational and reactive nature of Recovery Keys. Hence, it's understood that a Recovery Key, while useful in certain circumstances, lacks the consistent utility and effectiveness of a password as a security measure.