Free Biz Ware » keepass http://freebizware.com Free and Open Source Business Softwares Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:12:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 KeePass 1.06 release http://freebizware.com/47/keepass-106-release/ http://freebizware.com/47/keepass-106-release/#comments Mon, 16 Oct 2006 03:05:45 +0000 Ken http://freebizware.com/47/keepass-106-release/ KeePass (review) is an opensource password manager which helps you to manage your passwords .

All your passwords are kept in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key-disk. You only have to remember one single master password or insert the key-disk to unlock the whole database.

Databases are encrypted using very secure encryption algorithms (AES and Twofish).

A new version, 1.06, is available. (Thanks to the update alert built into the program.)

Related Post:

]]> http://freebizware.com/47/keepass-106-release/feed/ 0 Importing from Password Safe to KeePass database http://freebizware.com/28/importing-from-password-safe-to-keepass-database/ http://freebizware.com/28/importing-from-password-safe-to-keepass-database/#comments Tue, 08 Aug 2006 01:52:00 +0000 Ken http://freebizware.com/28/importing-from-password-safe-to-keepass-database/ So I moved from Password Safe to KeePass. After some false start (remember to backup) the data was imported from Password Safe database into KeePass.

If you want to migrate the Password Safe database to KeePass, here’s how you do it.

  1. Use the Password Safe function to export to CSV file
    File > Export To > Plain Text
  2. Import the text file into KeePass
    File > Import From> PWSafe v2 TXT file

The mistake I made was to import the encrypted datafile which produces garbage. You need to export to plain text and import the text file.

Related Post:

]]> http://freebizware.com/28/importing-from-password-safe-to-keepass-database/feed/ 0 Remember all your passwords with KeePass http://freebizware.com/27/remember-all-your-passwords-with-keepass/ http://freebizware.com/27/remember-all-your-passwords-with-keepass/#comments Sun, 06 Aug 2006 17:45:00 +0000 Ken http://freebizware.com/27/remember-all-your-passwords-with-keepass/ KeePassI consider myself a security paranoid. When I sign up with a site, I use a different password, sometimes even different username. Over the years I must have hundreds of account accumulated on the internet.

To help with remembering, I started with standard menonics, then use associations. Then I became more lazy started using standard passwords for sites that I don’t really care about.

Still, the problem is how to manage passwords overload ?

Let me introduce KeePass .

Many years (5?) back I found a program call Gator, the concept is simple – a program that stay behind the scene and remembers all the password and pops up when it is needed. It was like godsend. That was my first introduction to password management utility.

Later I found that it contains spyware and wipe it off. Since then I stayed off such program if it comes from a commercial company. Imagine, a program that saves your password spying on you. That’s the ultimate betrayal.

Anyway, after years of staying off password remembering softwares, I ran across an opensource version called Password Safe. I was skeptical at first but my guard lowered when I learned it was opensource.

One of the benefits of open source softwares is that the source is open for all to review. While this does not stop evil person from doing evil, it allows knowledgeable people to make sure the code is safe.

Truth is I am going crazy remembering passwords and I really need a tool, any tool.

Password Safe is really a simple program. The look and feel is not very polished and the interface need a little use to. But the show-stopper for me is that there is not support for Chinese.

Then I found KeePass.

KeePass showing english interface

Actually I found KeePass a while back. But a typical change-resister that I am, I was reluctant to learn a new software. Especially when I had many passwords already stored in Password Safe.

The reason for finally making the switch is unclear now. Maybe it was because I found KeePass listed as one of the top SourceForge project. Or it could be the nice website. The last straw broke the camel’s back.

First impression

Looks aside, the interface is a much welcomed change from Password Safe. The Tree-Content-Data windows layout on the left-right-bottom is well thought out. Very much like the familiar email client. Compared to in Password Safe, KeePass layout makes it very easy and fast to find and see data.

KeePass also seems to have more features and more mature. For example, in setting up a new password database, there is a very fancy interface to generate password from mouse movement!

It also allows you to keep notes and attach file to the account.

Add Entry

What I like about KeePass Password Safe?

  • Auto-type feature.
    Auto fill username password and the enter key with a simple key-stoke combination. Brilliant.
  • Password generation. No more thinking of password, just generate and save.
  • Opensource, no spyware
  • Nice interface
  • Good information layout
  • I mention it supports Chinese? (and other languages)

Room for improvement

  • Auto-type could be more accurate in determining username/password to use.

Chinese support

Entries and Notes can be entered in Chinese and display correctly. Chinese translation for the interface can be downloaded from keepass.sourceforge.net/translations.php.

Just follow the 3 steps instruction on the page to switch the interface language.

KeePass showing Chinese Interface

 

Where to get it?

Related Post:

]]> http://freebizware.com/27/remember-all-your-passwords-with-keepass/feed/ 0