password manager

About

A password manager (PM) is a software application which manages security credentials such as passwords, PINs, and private keys.

Desirable features include:

• searchability
• ability to secure all data with a master password or key
• ability to access from multiple locations
• encrypted storage of data (so that it can be backed up to an insecure location without revealing any credentials)

Linux

Linux distributions generally come with a password manager integrated into the desktop system (other applications needing credentials will check with the PM before asking the user to enter credentials manually, and will store manually-entered credentials in the PM for future use.

The most common PMs are:

• KWallet (part of KDE) (see Wikipedia)
• Seahorse (part of GNOME; formerly GNOME Keyring) (see Wikipedia)

Windows

Windows does not appear to have a system for handling passwords or mediating access to a PM, so either passwords must generally be copied by hand (either cut-and-paste or drag-and-drop) between applications and the PM or else the software must be aware of specific applications that might need passwords filled in.

Links

Reference

• Wikipedia
• open directory (includes password tools that are not managers)

List

AES Password Manager, Access Manager/Pro, Access Manager/free, AnyPassword/Pro, AnyPassword/free, Aurora Password Manager, Clipperz, Cute Password Manager, Darn! Passwords!, Easy Password Manager, Enterprise Password Safe, KeePass Password Safe, Mashed Life, Mobipassword, My Password Manager, Passward, Password Depot, Password Manager Deluxe

not filed

• FastPass Enterprise Password Manager: geared toward higher-end customers
• IntelliLogin: Form-filler only
• Just1Key: online service only, details sparse unless you want to read the whitepaper
• KeyPass: Form-filler only
• KeyRing: PalmOS only
• LogonAssist: Form-filler only
• SuperSecret: they make it too difficult to find the price; free download, but not clear if there's a free trial period
• Mandylion Research Labs: aimed at legal compliance for corporate market; limit of 50 passwords
• Norton Password Manager is no longer at this URL

"Form-filler only" means that the software does not seem to allow storage of arbitrary information; handles login forms only. It may be that the software can do this but the description doesn't bother to mention it. It would seem to be necessary even for a target audience only interested in access to online sites, because form-fillers often have difficulty detecting login forms (they can be deliberately made difficult to detect) and so it is still often necessary to cut-and-paste from the application.

Given that the software does not seem to be targeting more general usage, however, I'm not bothering to file these applications for now.