Convenience is a hard thing to dismiss, but sometimes, your security can benefit from it. Yes, it’s incredibly nice having immediate access to all of your passwords, regardless of whether you’re on your computer, your mobile device, or anything in between. But seeing as Google Password Manager lacks zero-knowledge encryption, Google could theoretically access your passwords at any time.
I’m not okay with that idea, so I determined that it was time that I started building up my own dedicated database of passwords with a dedicated password manager. Sure, I may need to open a second app, but knowing that my most delicate information was much safer is worth the extra few clicks.
KeePass offers CSV imports
Getting your passwords from your browser is simple
One of the biggest things I worried about was retrieving all my passwords from my browsers. I switched from Google Chrome to Microsoft Edge about a year ago and have since updated many of my passwords. Thankfully, KeePass didn’t require me to manually enter roughly 400 passwords, and it offered a “Generic CSV Import” option to make my life a little easier.
After verifying that all my passwords had safely made the journey from my browser to KeePass, it was time to say goodbye to my browser’s password database. To be fair, Microsoft Edge does offer more safety features than Google Password Manager, including Multi-Factor Authentication and Master Passwords, but at this point, I’d rather remove everything from my browser and store my passwords locally.
Please stop storing passwords in your browser
Time’s up for your browser password manager.
KeePass offers different versions for different OSs
“Unofficial versions” are listed as safe by the KeePass developers
One of the things I appreciate the most about open-source applications is that even if there isn’t an “official” version of it available on other devices, someone has likely created a version that functions the same. KeePass has a standard version developed by Dominik Reichl, but he also highlights contributed/unofficial versions of KeePass on the official website. This includes options for Android, iOS, Blackberry, Linux, and other OSs that most people may not use.
Personally, I use KeePassDX on my Android phone alongside the official release on my Windows 11 PC. Since KeePass is open source, the program is publicly accessible, allowing other users to contribute, create their own versions, and more. No matter if you’re trying to upgrade your eBook library or remove some of the Windows bloat, there’s a good chance that an open-source version of your favorite applications exists somewhere.
- OS
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Windows
- Developer
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Dominik Reichl
- Price model
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Free
There are a ton of plug-ins available
Browser imports, eWallets, and so much more are available
Visiting the KeePass plug-ins page can be incredibly daunting. It’s a wall of text that looks like it came straight out of the 90s on a GeoCities page, and can be terrifying to look at. But take a bit of time and see what it can offer you, and you may be pleasantly surprised. Maybe you’re looking for a secure way to keep your crypto wallet safe, or just make sure your Amazon account isn’t getting accessed by anyone else. There’s a plug-in for nearly everything, even some that help you change how the GUI looks.
Most importantly, the base program is already incredibly dense and offers a ton of features for users to experiment with. Plug-ins just make a great program even better. Before you start installing plug-ins, I would strongly suggest checking out the First Steps Tutorial, as KeePass can be a slightly daunting program to use on its own.
Don’t want another program? Look into hardware 2FA
Using physical hardware to protect your passwords could also be a great option
Completely uprooting your passwords and changing how you’ve managed them over the years can be a difficult, and often time-consuming, process. If you’re hoping to find an alternate path that lets you keep your passwords secured in your browser, using hardware-based 2FA could be the literal key. You could keep all of your passwords securely within KeePass for backup and safekeeping, while using something like the YubiKey to create a hardware-based passkey for easier access.
YubiKey, rather than being a replacement for your password manager, helps secure your information if you decide to continue using the settings that are included with your browser. Hardware keys can’t be phished, and 2FA is strongly recommended in every situation. You could also use something like Google Authenticator if you don’t want hardware keys.
I feel much safer browsing the net now
Especially seeing how many sites are getting hit with attacks lately
It doesn’t matter what site you’re visiting or where you are on the internet. Anything is fair game for those who don’t have your best intentions at heart. Seeing sites like Discord get hit with massive data breaches, and the number of times that X goes down in a week, I’d rather securely save my passwords and everything else on my PC.
Having my backups secured with a master password, nobody can get into my most sensitive data. Even if KeePass doesn’t seem to be a fit for you, check into other offline, secure databases that you can manage on your own. Even though it’s a little extra work to find your passwords before logging into your favorite site, knowing that you’re safer when it comes to folks with malicious intent can help you breathe a sigh of relief.
