At NatWeb Solutions security is our main concern. We have seen so many customers who keep their passwords on sticky notes, excel files or simply use the same password everywhere. When things go wrong, it is quite often too late to avoid a disaster. But you can act on it before it is too late!
Did we mention we are big fans of open source solutions too? Today we want to present you KeePass. It is an open source software which will help you to manage your passwords, keep them secure and never worry about losing them. Open source software is great because millions of developers can verify the code, and it is less likely that the software has bugs or incorrectly implemented algorithms. KeePass is a password manager with a lot of great features. Let’s look at some of them:
The database is protected by master password and/or key file
It is a great feature as on top of regular password you can specify a file and use it for encryption. If someone gets access to your database file, they will not be able to decrypt it without having both.
Encryption
KeePass supports the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES, Rijndael) and the Twofish algorithm to encrypt its password databases. Both of these ciphers are very secure. AES, e.g. became effective as a U.S. Federal government standard and is approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) for top secret information.
KeePass encrypts not just passwords but the entire database. Everything you put in, files, notes, and comments will be encrypted too.
Process memory protection
I know it sounds a little bit complicated, but KeePass encrypts your passwords while it is running, so even when the operating system dumps the KeePass process to disk, and it does not reveal your passwords. If this still sounds complicated then let’s say – your passwords are always secure, no matter what, period.
Ability to upload files
With KeePass, you can upload files. We use 2FA (2-factor authentication) on many websites, and we always keep a copy of the QR code inside KeePass.
Password autofill
When you keep KeePass running, you can use it to automatically insert your username and password on the current login page, on any browser and any website.
Password grouping
You can keep your passwords nicely grouped in folders, subfolders, with nice icons and colors. And even if you overcomplicate it, you can always use a simple search feature which will get you to the right place in no time.
Creativity tool
If you are not creative when it comes to thinking of new passwords, then you don’t have to worry anymore. KeePass comes with a password generator tool which helps you to create strong, secure and unique passwords for every website.
One more thing worth remembering! There is never too much security when it comes to passwords. So to protect yourself from losing your database file it is always best to keep a copy of it on your local drive, backed up by Dropbox or Mega. If your hard drive fails, you will always have an encrypted copy in the cloud. Simple but effective.
In case of any questions or problems, contact us.