@40:

That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Did you know what brute force is?
You put a dictionary in there and it will search through all the words and find out your password.

On to the software. This is something I would need, but the developers doesn't seem so thrustworthy

Paawords are a pain, don't see much use for this!! Kinda was happy with brief AVG offered this morning, but only 93 day trial - removed rather quick by gotd staff...Aahhhhhhh.........

Sorry I don't trust software like this !!! I have a very simple system to remember passwords, I simply can't forget any password even if I change them often. No need software for that !

How to be totally password-secure:

Go to any printed dictionary or thesaurus, open a page at random, and put your finger on a word, with your eyes closed. Open your eyes, and use what you see as a password. Repeat operation once a month, or even once a week if you're paranoid. Completely safe, and requires no software.

Okay, I have no need for this program, personally, as I use Steganos Security Suite. Which has a drag and drop password manager, which can also log onto sites automatically of you want it to. It looks for the Login fields and can add your details for you, or not if you don't want it too.

This one, being free, isn't such a bad deal if you don't already have a manager you like. You are certainly better off not allowing any browser to store your passwords...even Firefox. There is also a free, stand alone, version of the Steganos password manager...Google it.

What happens when you upgrade your computer? You won't be able to install this software on the new computer and you will either have to buy this software or move all your passwords to another program. It seems like it would be better to go with a free and open source solution.

Just visited the site,they say:'help you easily manager your so many passowords...'
?

I love it,Web of trust giving the developers site those ratings,so funny for the type of prog aswell.They must be doing their nut.
Thanx GAOTD i won't bother with this one.

most passwords dont need to be encrypted, like ones for this site or other forums, so for those ,integrating your passwords into a browser is I would think ok.
for banking , paypal, or something along those lines, job related etc.
those should not be integrated into a browser.
this program would be ok for those. but if site has a bad web of trust rating, doesnt seem good idea to put your passwords into this program.

to #24

Not really. On start up got an error message that couldn't find "The drive or network connection that the shortcut 'Safe Password Manager.Ink' refers to is unavailable.....

The flash drive has a different letter on different computer so program wouldn't even start

It is a free feature-rich Windows program for safe and comfortable storing of any secure information like passwords, accounts, PINs etc. PINs uses a secure 448 bit Blowfish algorithm to ensure the data are not crackable. The password used for securing access to stored data is not saved anywhere.

It is a program that safely stores informations like passwords, accounts and PIN numbers.

Here are some key features of "PINs":

· Secure 448 bit Blowfish encoding.
· Unlimited number of entries and data files.
· A clear tree-like data organization which allows logical grouping of systems and accounts.
· Automated login into Internet services (SuperPaste).
· A powerful random passwords generator.
· Safe files wiping using Gutmann, DoD and custom methods.
· Embedded hyperlinks launching.
· Unlimited in size, multi-line descriptions.
· A flexible data import/export in text format.
· Multiple user accounts on a single PC.
· Accounts sorting using any column as a sort criteria.
· Comfortable accounts adding, editing, and deleting.
· Compatibility with popular clipboard extenders.
· Passwords masking.
· Copy logins and passwords to the Windows clipboard.
· Find/find next functions.
· Expired passwords tracking.
· Running from a floppy without saving settings to registry.
· Multilingual versions.
· Full source code available

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Password-Managers-Generators/PINs.shtml

Roboform Pro is being offered free with participation. I chose the credit report trial option, which costs nothing (but does require a credit card to sign up, though no charges deducted). Simply go to http://takeonegetone.com/store/ and sign up following the instructions. You will receive an email confirmation with your activation code once your order has been confirmed. You might have to copy your confirmation email and forward it to TakeOneGetOne or to RoboForm for verification before receiving your code. Don't forget to contact the credit report people to cancel after you've received RoboForm Pro. Otherwise, your credit card will be charged each month for the credit report services.

Good luck and hope this helps those of you who need a good, friendly, non-complicated program that handles all of your passwords in an orderly and speedy manner. There is even a password generator that you can use so you don't have to think of your own based on your last meal or your pet's name.

Either these people ripped off KeePass or the other way around. The look is the same, even the description is the same. DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS! Download KeePass instead.

It looks and works almost exactly like KeePass (OSS), except for the skin. Should have at least some more advanced features (like browser integration, secure online password store, etc) if you want to ask for that kind of price. Might as well just use keepass so next time you format your PC, you won't have to pay $30 to open a password file.

Program talks about being able to transfer via usb. On developer's site, couldn't figure out if could be installed to a usb. I use public libary and other places where am not on the same computer each day. Would this be the program to manage passwords?

#2 Mike,

Thanks for the advice about index cards, the basic ways are often the best, for simplicity, speed, cost, effectiveness, and ease. I haven't got quite that organized.

However, there is a password manager built into Firefox, which I use for less important sites. Could you please expand on how secure this is, and how bad is the risk of hackers accessing it.

Regards Bill3

Free & Secure:

http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/

@Mike #2

>I use index cards.
So do I...and nobody can read my handwriting ;-) The only thing I need is a good humaoïd memory...

@Daniel #16.
>An Excel spreadsheet with a password is NOT at all secure – Anyone can open it in a matter of minutes, regardless of the password!

I agree.
Depends on what level of security you are interested in.
Even if you were to passwordprotect 'randomly' selected areas and/or cells in 'randomly' chosen sheets in any file, these passwords are stored on your machine and are retrievable.
However, if you move protection to a higher/deeper level using Excel it might work, as long as your system doesn't get into an endless loop...which it is bound to do sooner than later.
Daniel, I'd like to hear more about your method.

Greetz.
Patrick

[This comment #17 on time of submission 21:19 GMT+1]

An excellent stand alone free alternative with multi-layer encryption is
Keypass

There is a definite need of having a Secure Password Manager. It's not always just storing the Web Login Passwords and we certainly need to have something decent that's available in system tray so then I don't need to open my Web Browser to get that Password. Imagine FTP Login that you need to enter in your FTP application. Personally, I don't save FTP information in FTP application itself; I make it ask for the Password and I enter it. Of course, it's an individual choice and $30 for this application is a separate topic of debate. :-)

Nice piece of software, but I won't be trying it. I've tried programs like KeePass, RoboForm, and others. They are nice, but all have limitations for my needs.

I prefer fields that are not contained in any of these pieces of software. So I wrote my own database version, which I now have control over adding or removing fields of my choice. I did not integrate it into a browser because my preference is that it's not necessary for me.

I've put two layers of security on the database and encrypted it, so I feel it's rather secure. In the months I've been using it, it's worked great for me.

I've since shared it at my workplace and it's being beta tested for consideration to the company.

My point to all this is if you want something that will fit you to a "T" - then create your own database with security and encryption. And you don't even need to pay for it.

Again, thanks GAOTD.

Er, um. . . to anyone thinking that integrating your passwords into a browser is A Good Idea: think again.

The whole point of password archiving is security. Yet there are people here who apparently wish to lead others into thinking that a browser -- any browser -- is secure.

Iy yi yi yi.

Criticism of today's GOTD because "it doesn't integrate into a browser" really is no criticism at all.

That said, I can't get anywhere near assessing the software's value because Web of Trust has a blocking alert on the developer's website:

Trustworthiness: Poor

Vendor reliability: Very poor

Privacy: Very poor

Candidly, a company producing -- of all things -- a password manager yet which is itself classed as a major risk is too great a contradiction to contemplate.

Thanks then, GOTD, but no thanks: today's developer should be trying to sort out its current, damning WoT rating before seeking to recruit new users to a product ostensibly intended to enhance their privacy and security.

#11 ditto for me too - an encrypted, password protected spreadsheet - what else do you need? :-)

There is very definitely is a need for a program like this - I just checked - I have 225 entries in my spreadsheet that provides the website, username, password, and any ancillary information. If you are at all active in cyberspace, there's just too many to remember (at least, if you want to have any realistic level of username/password security at all).

Relatively recently I've learned of Roboform, now today I've learned of Keepass, so I'm sorry (to the developers) I just can't recommend a program that doesn't have a seamless interface with the browser. I also cannot recommend paying $29 for a small password database program that is not as capable as the password manager that is already build into the free Firefox browser.

so thanks, but no thanks - gaod and Plato software. I'm not going to be downloading and testing today's offer.

Hi all!!

Honestly I can't understand the current poor users' rating people have given to this nice program.

At least have you tried it before (randomly??) clicking on the rating button?

This program supports password groups, which can be sorted according to different group names (for example into Windows, Internet, FTP, HomeBack etc.).

It can be installed to a Removable Device such as a USB memory stick enabling a quick access to accounts via bookmarks and it's also quite safe in encrypting data files with its 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm.

This tool also provides a powerful random password generator giving users the ability to export the password database to TXT,CSV,XML,HTML formats and/or import it from CSV file as well.

So overall Plato Safe Password Manager is not a bad program at all and for sure it doesn't deserve the current low rating given by GAOTD users.

As for FREEWARE ALTERNATIVES I think that LASTPASS and/or KEEPASS are the better ones out there (I prefer LASTPASS though!!)

Cheers from Italy!

An Excel spreadsheet with a password is NOT at all secure - Anyone can open it in a matter of minutes, regardless of the password!

I will second Dario's suggestion of the free Lastpass. Does everything this does and more. I find today's giveaway to be rather simplistic, and it doesn't do anything except store passwords. It takes too many steps to locate the password. Lastpass not only saves the password, it will auto log you in if you want it too. It will also fill out forms with three clicks, and contains areas to fill in all sorts of information, not just passwords. Whenever it sees a password field on a webpage, it asks if you want to save the login info, and encrypts everything that you store. Best of all, you can access it from any computer using almost any browser, and because it's not stored on your hard drive, you can access all information without having to carry the file with you from computer to computer. What Dario didn't mention is that it also works on Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. It just looks slightly different. I'm sticking with Lastpath.

Wow, this REALLY looks like a skinned version of the Open Source KeyPass. I wonder if this is based on KeePass's code.

I have used KeePass for years and love it, especially because there is a version for my Windows Mobile phone that I can synch with my desktop and then take with me wherever I go. There are plugins for KeePass that provide for securely communicating with the browser, but I don't use them so no idea if they're practical.

I have downloaded and tested this software out of pure curiosity.
I have to agree with Jamie @#1.
This is totally pointless and a complete waste of time. You cannot integrate it with your browser, whether IE or Firefox etc. Thats the main reason people like password managers, easy access to your passwords when going to certain websites!.

It's only useful purpose seems to be a way of copying and pasting passwords and urls into its database and then open the program and refer to your password later when needed. Copying and pasting again!.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can easily do the same thing by storing your passwords on a notepad! and Windows supply that for free!!
Its an absolute waste of time imo and I will be removing this rubbish from my pc immediately.
"And normally going for $29.95? huh!. The company must think we're all idiots!"

Installed ok, no problems, does it what is supposed to.

But, this reminds me of KeePass , which is free and has incredibly strong encryption. It even looks little bit like that program.

Thank you anyway, will try this software for a few days.

I use an Excel spreadsheet and set a password to open it.

KeePass. Free and OpenSource.

I use Password Agent by Moonsoft. I found it to be cleaner, quicker, and less complicated than Roboform

I use the open source KeePass - it is great. I allows you to generate strong passwords based upon rules (i.e. Caps, Numbers, Letters, etc.) that you can set.

Put it on an encrypted USB drive using TrueCrypt.

Extremely useful tool. Just don't forget the KeePass password or you're... you know.

If I may make a recommendation, for safe storage of passwords, I would consider buying a Large Steel Safe In High Gloss Black w Eight Adjustable Inside Shelves (http://www.ivgstores.com/IVG2/Y/ProductID-57537-.htm). This will allow for plenty of room to store all of your passwords and should keep crackers out of your password repository as well.

I hope I have helped some today. Kind regards,
Boingo

Installed easily and correctly, but I can't imagine why someone would pay basically $30 for it. Years ago, I bought Password Power for $8.95. I lost it when I had a HD crash. Personally, I don't care that it doesn't integrate with my browser, as it is only on occasion that I need to 'refresh' my memory about a site password, and it takes just a second to open it to retrieve what I need. I'll give it a try.

I don´t agree, this is a nice piece of software. Even if it´s not the ideal for the browser lack of integration. Anyway there´s always Roboform...
Thanks GAOTD

$30.00 is a bit pricey for something that can be handled with a simple $1.00 address book (of course stored in a safe place away from your computer).

There is a free alternative that is open source and has an excellent Forum for issues with the program. Passwordsafe. - http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/ -

Can anybody say ROBOFORM? Check into the ways one can acquire RoboForm Pro for free (with participation). Google it and you'll find it.

Thanx anyway, gaotd.

I agree it would be more useful if it integrates into your browser (like RoboForm). I guess it would be alright for keeping an archive of your passwords somewhere else if your system packs it in. However as a 'give away of the day' it would not help as you would not be able to install it again to read the database. I am running windows XP and my peeve is that the windows don't re-size and the windows are smaller than the content (can't see all the fields and buttons).

Lots of free password managers out there: Roboform (free with limitations), lastpass (firefox) etc...

Except that, you're not really supposed to store your passwords in your browser, since crackers have figured out how to steal them using virus' & trojans.

Current thinking is, that an encrypted external database is safer. Of course there may be a backdoor in them as well. I use index cards.

What is this supposed to be good for? A decent password manager integrates into your browser where most users need convenient access to stored passwords. I don't think this "database" has that kind of integration.
Why anyone would use this is beyond my comprehension.