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Asterisks Password Viewer was available as a giveaway on March 10, 2009!
Windows allows storing your frequently used passwords, such as the passwords in Outlook Express email or for a FTP connection. But since you no longer enter the saved password manually, you tend to forget them. The password is staring right at you, but is hiding behind a row of asterisks - ****. This feature is intended to protect your passwords; but sometimes this feature becomes more of a pain, rather than help.
Asterisks Password Viewer is a software that lets you see the actual password behind the asterisks! It can recover passwords to such programs like Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express, The BAT! and other e-mail clients, FTP clients like CuteFTP, FlashFXP etc.
Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003, Win Vista
1.42 MB
$19.95
Ultimate Keylogger monitors all activities on computer systems including applications, keyboard, passwords, clipboard, chat, email, and visited websites. It sends encrypted activity reports invisibly via Email, FTP or network.
ZIP RAR ACE Password Recovery is a program to recover lost or forgotten passwords on ZIP, RAR and ACE archives.
Overall, I think that this is the worst software I have ever seen. It is useless. I will be glad if I never see this again.
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To those of you that are getting trojan warnings from their AV programs, any good anti-virus program is going to pick up a password revealer as a possible trojan or malware/spyware because that's what these programs are in the wrong hands. However, if you're using it yourself for your own computer or that of a friend, I don't think there should be a problem. Check out the posts about Nirsoft on security forums or the Avast or Avira message boards and you'll see how many question the trojan alert.
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Fail to see Yahoo Messenger pass.
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@16
Ever hear of a little job called Systems Administrator? There *are* legitimate uses for these kinds of software.
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This is probably a useless program unless you want to stalk people. I vote it a 0/10.
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Or just get a fingerprint reader on your laptop.
It does the same thing, but verifies your identity before it drops the astericks.
Safer, indeed.
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I maintain ten websites. I use a standard ftp program to upload data to these websites. I have had problems in the past with an ftp program crashing or wanting to change ftp programs to try something new. If I don't write down all my passwords somewhere, I tend to forget what they were and can't always log into a website I maintain without guessing a few times to find the right password, or trying to find the list I wrote down and misplaced.
For me, this program works great for what I need it for. You open the program and drag a magnifying glass over to the asterisk in the ftp program where your sign-on password is displayed as asterisks. Voila! Your password appears in the Asterisk Password Viewer window. This is really the only use I have for such a program. I have not tried it with other applications - it works great for me with an FTP program so it gets a thumbs up. I do not worry about security because my web development PC stays here at my house and as a retired person, I don't have others using my PC in my home. Perfect application for a person like me. Thanks GOTD!
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i cant get the registration to take. ive done it many times today. so im not going to download this. im glad after reading all the comments.sounds like nothing but problems.
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Oops, I submitted a correction but it got moderated out. My bad. I meant to say, good or bad, Keylack DIDN'T deserve all this nonsense.
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#2
SIW does not reveal passwords in Firefox browser. I drag the magnifying glass over the asterisks but nothing happens.
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Lots of people are saying that there are lots of other free alternatives. I have another one here that comes with lots of other free and useful tools.
The package is called Floppy office and is fill of free no-installation-required software (one of which is X-Pass. You drag the X to the password field). You can download the package from or there is the new version (slightly bigger) that can fit onto a USB mmory stick. you can download it from (also has Xpass). All you need to do is save and extract the ZIP package somewhere and you can use them anywhere. Another free, easy-to-use alternative.
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Will not work in Windows 3.1 (or 3.11). On my other PC with Windows 95, the app shows up in the taskbar but no GUI. Sad, real sad.
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For advanced users, there is a free solution called Cain that does all this and more! Hope this helps!
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#27 Your Link contains software that contains Hacktool warnings:
WARNING...to those of you that don't read all the comments before installing some of the proposed links. DO NOT TRY SNADBOY!
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For those who had downloded Revelation 2.0 recommended here, please note that Avast and AVG did not detect as virus or spyware but Threatfire, which I have installed on my system did detect it as spyware.
This is their report of Snadboy's Revelation 2.0
http://www.threatexpert.com/report.aspx?md5=5FBC923249818C4B0489B85C1ABF0357
So, I uninstalled it.
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#2
Thanks for the wonderful app!
SIW is like Everest Free Edition, but with a lot more info.
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THANK YOU #47 watcher13
"what he said"!!!
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If you really were desparate, use Ultimate Keylogger that was on two days ago. I'd give this a 1/5.
Keylack is a good name - it logs your keys, but lacks features.
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This is a relabeled version of Krylack Password Decryptor.
I would not trust a company which sells the very same product under two different names.
Sorry, but no download today.
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http://www.lostpassword.com/asterisk.htm
Better, faster, reliable, and freeware.
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Another excellent post, Mike, but I slightly disagree with you on one thing. Let me reply with a phrase in the style of that master of malaprops, the great Yogi Berra. Yogi mangled the English language so often that many colorful sayings were attributed to him that he never uttered. He even titled an autobiography, "I Never Said Half the Things I Said". One of the problems, Mike, with deciding between the GOTDs and freeware is: a lot of the giveaways "ain't worth what their worth", so to speak.
Today's another "full moon" comment day. All the "interesting people" have come out to play. I feel sorry for Keylack. Good or bad, they deserve all this NONSENSE. One point, like yesterday's software, this partly helps with the problem of mistyping.
To quickly address some of the "interesting people". GOTD has given away tons of DVD software, many of which have "DVD" in the title. I think someone should call the copyright police. Clearly they're stealing the title "DVD".
I once worked at a TV station with a New Age guy (I'm not stereotyping, he actually composed New Age music) who was afraid to sign the log that verified that a commericial had played, because he was afraid the FBI could track him and find him someday if he signed the WRONG document. For some reason, though, he had a driver's license. To the paranoids who posted today. You were off our radar screen. But, now that you've posted, we've found you and are coming for you. You can run, but you can't hide.
My point is: please confine yourself to commenting about the quality and functionality of today's software. This software type has been around for a LONG time. Complaining about it's existence now is a litttttttttllllle late. And to those who don't need it, fine, come back tomorrow. WE DON'T NEED to know that YOU don't need the software. Nor does GOTD. They can mostly figure that out by the number of downloads.
And, no, we don't need a comment from everyone who votes. For some softwares that would mean over a thousand comments on this page. Some would be on the order of "Hi", just so someone could activate the voting mechanism. Please be careful what you wish for.
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I've never posted before. Like many others I don't need (or want) this software.
I have used KeyWallet for password management for a couple years now. It is free and allows you to manage all kinds of passwords and data, not just for browsers but forms as well.
KeyWallet here
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FWIW, Asterisks Password Viewer, like other password viewers do come in handy. Yes, you should have some record of all your passwords & keys, but most of us are human, & well, stuff happens. And/Or there are times when a password viewer is quicker/easier that loading your regular password software, like when you use hardware or key files not on your hdd.
Of course passwords & keys are stored in different ways & places in Windows, so password viewers may or may not work depending on the program storing the password you want to see. If whatever program does a good job of storing them encrypted, and doesn't share their methods, if any software could read these passwords doing so might well be illegal [you'd have to have stolen or reverse engineered their copyrighted code].
Really FWIW, "*" is an asterisk, & as everyone's aware they are in plentiful supply -- I'm at a loss as to how someone could own it, or it's name. Asterisks Password Viewer does have an advantage that the freeware versions don't: an admitted cheapskate, given the choice between a program that's always free, or free *today only*, I'll usually pick the latter... Why? Because like most people who love free stuff, the more it's *worth* the better!
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There are many very good free password recovery tools here: http://www.nirsoft.net/password_recovery_tools.html as well as many other very useful programs. Most of them are portable, that is, they do not require installation and can be run from a USB stick or boot CD. Simply run the executable file. They are all very well documented and many can also be run from the command line and thus are useful for running from the DOS command prompt or batch files. Check out the other great programs on this web site as well. Enjoy!
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Snadboy's Revelation does the same thing, and is completely free. I don't know why anybody would want to pay for this software.
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First, the gui is a nightmare as mentioned in other comments, but the program does do what it says. However, some of the programs mentioned in the description for Asterisks Password Viewer, like Flashfxp, will allow you to view your own asterisk'd passwords from within the program, or are stored in plain text in an ini file, so an outside program isn't even needed.
Second, the program does not reveal browser passwords, which no longer use asterisks, and various freeware programs like Revelation have been around for years to reveal asterisk'd passwords, so why bother paying for a program to do the same?
Third, Roboform and other password managers have different functions than Asterisks Password Viewer and should not be compared. If you haven't even tried the giveaway, why comment?
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#29
It sounds like it turned all of your folders into RAR files. If you download WinRAR, you can unpackage them.
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Hi;Well this is nice to have if your mostly alone at your computer like i am,but i got mine as a firefox extension also free
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I tried the alternate recommendation in one of the comments to try the nirsoft asterisk logger (comment #9). When I downloaded it, Norton immediately detected a trojan.
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Firefox has this as an add-on.
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To all of you who are still using Roboform, I agree that it is a great program. But try LastPass. It is totally FREE and does the same things as Roboform. I have been using it exclusively for about three months now and it is just as good as Roboform.
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As a reformed hacker, I will say that in my past, this is exactly the sort of software I'd have loved people to use more of. The social engineering uses of this are astounding. Not to mention how personal use of crutches like this, encourages people to not select good passwords.
Seriously folks, learn the rules about what makes good passwords. Develop a way to maintain them in your brain. And most of all, don't WRITE them down! ANYWHERE! Doing otherwise, including using crutch programs like this just increases your vulnerability to someone who really wants to get into your data.
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You can write a program with 6 lines of code for this password viewing function. 20$! what a rip off.
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Now just how many people begin to enter a password (Which is where you'll see the asterix) and walk away before entering the program? I can't think of one with any kind of intelligence. Both thumbs down.
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Just get the Firefox extension, Unhide Passwords. Free of course.
You are using Firefox, right?
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Comment #7, Thanks for the info on the other program, but you may be wrong about the plagiarism. On mainframe computers passwords are shown as asterisks. That's probably where the program that you are recommending got its name. No one who hadn't worked with a mainframe would know this, of course. It does give rise to another possibility, a historical one, though.
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Thanks for posting the link to free one Sue!
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Snadboy's revelator does the same job, and is a lot nicer. It also reveals a lot more passwords. However, because of what it inherently does and what it is capable of, it can be classed as malware/spyware by certain security scanning software. That said, its got me out of many a hole with outlook express / broadband / dialup connection passwords being asterisked out when fixing users PCs (of course they dont remember the password, they input it 3 years ago and wrote it on the welcome letter from their ISP, which they know they've seen somewhere but cant find....)
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This program looks good to me. Download was clean but the pages are lacking in design.
Concerning Roboform. I like it but it turned all of my folders and icons in to a stack of books. So I uninstalled it. What did I do wrong for it to change all of my folders and icons into a stack of books? Can someone help please.
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#19 & #20: Just so you know, you should refer to this site as "GOTD" ;]
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This is always free
Revelation v2.0
http://www.snadboy.com/
I have not used it on Vista but it's worked for me on XP
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I have Roboform so why would I ned this? I wouldn't! Truth be told, I don't need Roboform for managing my passwords, just as a form filler.
I've been using the same 4, medium strength passwords for years & their burned into my memory. Sunday was the first time in years I've forgotten which I used as a master when setting up an XP Pro system. Forgot for a second because I knew it was one of my four
OK, You guys can hammer this comment but I've never seen any real use for password breakers/managers or encryption applications! Maybe it's just me but I don't fear being hacked or my lady seeing anything on either of my computers. The kids are grown & gone for a long time so why?
GEEZ!, I'm just glad were done with "Keylack Software"!
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After reading the reviews, I'm not going to evaluate this product. Sorry. I just wanted to add to the Roboform fans. I've used it for years (paid for, because I have MANY passwords and few brain cells left to remember them *wink*) and although it shows asterisks when you fill the form in on the net, when you open the program, it shows your passwords. First one like this that I found, so I've stuck with it!
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Yeah AI Roboform is the best of the best when it comes to password management and forms filler. HIGHlY RECOMMENDED! I've been using it for years (since the v2 betas), plus the portable roboform is a great addon to it's use.
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Best set of tools:
DART (Microsoft Diagnostics & Recovery Toolset), its similar to the recovery disc you get with Vista but also has a pro tool section where you can fix just about anything, passwords as well.
These type of tools are alright, you may use them once or twice in your whole life, but its not going to work with programs like FireFox. Pretty much just as useful as the rar/zip brute force password crackers.
Thank you though, I'm sure someone will find it useful.
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#20 - the software recovers passwords as opposed to managing them.
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Man this is just stupid. If you want a password manager try out RoboForm .It is not a freeware but the best password manager.
Well if you use only 10 passwords it is free.
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you had a sticky password GAOD before which has the same functionality shows Astrix passwords but it also saves you the passwords in a build in encypted database make it portable and it is much much more usefull and supirior that was one of the BEST GAOD software (in my opinion).
and a built in IE and FF plugin to fill in passwords and other fields
http://www.stickypassword.com/
that version is a bit buggy with the new MS deveopment tools opened and it show save password. but other than that a very good well thought program
i will not install Asterisks Password Viewer and will not pay for it there was a lot of freeware alternative with the sources more then 6 years ago
password unmask in VB.NET
just google it
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I have to agree with 16, It seems GOTG has turned to programs only useful for invading privacy :-(
Perhaps the site should have changed to *Hackers Freebie of the day* for this past week?
Hopefully tomorrow will be *Get rid of the software stolen message from Windows* so hackers can get their updates to be safe from their own programs.
The obvious solution to not needing programs like this is keep those hard to remember passwords jotted and down and locked up.
Sure WW3 could break out, PC and user would be dead but hey!, Your passwords would still be safe!
Again no thumbs up or down today simply because of the nature of the program offered.
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The Good
* Simple and easy to use.
* Ability to chose if you want to 'store' password or just see it.
* Has built in instructions on how to use the program.
The Bad
* No way to increase/decrease opacity of program window.
* Does not work with browsers.
* "Configure Automatic Update" not working.
Free Alternatives
Asterisk Logger + Tons of recovery software at NirSoft.
Asterisks Key (thx Sue)
Verdict
As I said above, I give Asterisks Password Viewer a thumbs down because of the bug in managing how it updates. That being said, my suggestion for today is this: if you ever need to recover the passwords for specific applications, visit Nirsoft and check out their many programs (such as I described above). One of them may solve your problem. For general revealing-of-passwords-from-asterisks, get Asterisk Key. However as I mentioned above, I worry about the reliability of the developer of Asterisk Key so be sure to block internet access for Asterisk Key after you download it with your firewall. If you don't have a firewall or if you use windows firewall, read up my list of 6 free security apps for good firewall suggestions.
Full Review: Click here please.
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