KeePass (2.x) 2.59

Overview

Remembering all your passwords doesn’t always work as sometimes you might confuse them or forget them, resulting in various unwanted situations (like going through the process of resetting the password if possible, or creating a new account). This can all be avoided if you use KeePass, a password-management tool that holds all your passwords in an encrypted file which can be unlocked using only single master password. This way it provides both security and quick accessibility.

Installation

When you launch the installer you’ll be asked to choose installation language before you proceed. The only setting worth mentioning here is the one that lets KeePass associate .kdb files (KeePass password management DataBase). The main installation process will finish quickly without problems.

The program has been scanned for viruses and other types of malware and has been found clean. It’s also free of additional 3^rd party applications like toolbars.

KeePass works flawlessly under any machine running Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7, 8, as well as Linux, Mac OS X and other operating systems that support Mono.

Interface

The program doesn’t have a fancy GUI with cool graphics or anything, but keeps it simple to minimize the consumption of system resources and to focus on its functionality rather than its appearance.

At first you won’t have any KeePass databases, so you’ll have to create a new one (File -> New…). A small window will appear and ask you to enter a master password that you will be using to unlock the database holding your passwords. As an alternative method of authentication you can use a key file to unlock the database (or use both). After creating the database you can see on the main window a pane on the left with a group named “General” and its subgroups: Windows, Network, Internet, eMail and Homebanking (you can create more Groups and Subgroups yourself). The area next to that pane displays a list of passwords you created in the chosen subgroup along with the information you added to them (Title, Username, Password, URL and Notes). The area at the bottom displays properties of a selected password (creation date, last modification date, etc.).

Pros

With KeePass you don’t have to worry about forgetting your passwords anymore as you can now store them in KeePass and rest assured that no one will have access to them, since you must define a single master password when creating a database that is used to unlock it. A key file can be used if you don’t want to enter a password, which will be used every time you want to open the database. It’s less secure since it can be found easier by others, but you can combine both methods for maximum security.

The passwords themselves can be categorized in groups for better organization. For each password you can add useful information, like the username it’s associated with, a URL and also miscellaneous notes. KeePass can generate strong passwords for you too if you think yours are too weak.

KeePass supports two encryption modes: AES 128-bit with 256-bit key and Twofist 128-bit with 256-bit key. Both are pretty strong and can’t be decoded easily.

Tons of plugins and extensions are available for KeePass that enhance its functionality even more. Get a complete list of those plugins and information here:  http://keepass.info/plugins.html.

Cons

There are absolutely no cons here, since the program works fine and lacks nothing, especially when compared to KeePass 1.x. For a comparison table of KeePass 1.x and Keepass 2.x visit this link: http://keepass.info/compare.html.

Alternatives

LastPass (paid) is a browser-based password management software that offers equal security but has a few more features than KeePass (for instance the ability to login to websites with a single click, without typing passwords). Other alternatives are 1Password (paid), Passpack (paid) and Clipperz (free, online).

Conclusion

Certainly one of the best software to trust with your passwords. And you don’t even have to pay for it, although a small donation to the author of this program would keep him motivated and willing to continue improving it.