Quick Tip: Use PasswordSafe
PasswordSafe is free, open source software that makes it easy to keep track of the dozens, or hundreds, of user id/password pairs that a person might have established for all of the various and sundry websites they visit. It is also great for keeping track of software program registration keys, hardware serial numbers, and the like.
Cross-Platform: The original version of password safe was developed specifically for the Windows platform, and it is still the main project, but there is now also a Java version which is cross-platform.
How It Works: Quite simply, there is a “vault” database that contains all of the user id/password pairs. The contents of the vault are protected using strong encryption known as “blowfish.” The vault itself has a password, which becomes the only one that is now necessary to memorize. From then on, to visit a secure website, a user need only to right-click on the appropriate entry within the vault, select “browse URL”, and then right-click on the entry again and select “perform autotype”.
Screenshots (click to enlarge):
- Adding an entry to the vault:
- Overriding the options for generating a random password:
- The context menu options (e.g. opening the website):
- PasswordSafe helps to generate strong passwords in the first place (completely random letters digits and punctuation).
- Each entry can have unlimited notes associated with it.
- PasswordSafe can keep track of the history as passwords change over time (just in case there’s a problem and the history needs to be consulted). Also, passwords can be set to expire, with reminders to change them.
- Entries can be grouped and reorganized via drag-and-drop.
- There are numerous options for when and how the password vault gets locked. For example, it can be automatically locked whenever the workstation is locked (e.g. by hitting WindowsKey+L).
- PasswordSafe supports multiple vaults. For example, work-related entries could be kept in a separate vault and the password for that vault be shared with a manager for when the employee is on vacation or otherwise absent.
Productivity Tip: We’re classifying this as a productivity tip, because having hundreds of passwords organized all in one, highly secure place is not only a timesaver in and of itself, but it reduces anxiety, frustration, and all of the other emotions that come with being disorganized and insecure.
Download link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/passwordsafe/
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There is one more password storage app which is also very safe and secure called keepass http://keepass.info/
I like this app because the database that is created can be edited in pocket pc and palm enviorments also. So you have a very safe password keeper app when you are on move.
Future Tip: Advances in Single-Signon Technology at <> CodeJacked </> on 09 Apr 2007 at 10:06 am
[…] Here is something to keep an eye on. Yesterday, we posted a tip entitled, Quick Tip: Use PasswordSafe, about free software you can use to easily keep track of the hundreds of user ID/passwords pairs that go along with the ever-growing number of secure websites that are now an indispensable part of our lives. The fact that each of these websites requires a separate registration is a major inconvenience. PasswordSafe does an admirable job of alleviating the symptom, but what about the root cause? […]