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KeePass Password Safe – review

KeePass Password Safe is a free, open source, light-weight and easy-to-use password manager for Windows. You can store your passwords in a highly-encrypted database, which is locked with one master password or key file. The program stores passwords in a highly encrypted database. This database consists of only one file, so it can be easily transferred from one computer to another.

It supports the following operating systems : WINE, 32-bit MS Windows (95/98), 32-bit MS Windows (NT/2000/XP), All 32-bit MS Windows (95/98/NT/2000/XP), Win2K, WinXP and Microsoft Windows Server 2003.

The current version is KeePass 2.01 Alpha released on 2007-03-23. I downloaded this version and installed it on my Windows XP Pro. However, upon launching for the first time, it says that .Net Framework 2.0 is required. As I do not want to install this version of .Net Framework, I uninstall the KeePass 2.01 and downloaded the earlier version KeePass 1.06 released on 2006-10-16.

Download files : Source file downloaded is called KeePass-1.06-Setup.exe (size 993KB).

Installation : Installation was quick and completed in less than 30 seconds. No reboot required. No .Net Framework required.

Setup : This is the step-by-step guide on how to setup the KeePass Password Safe:

1. Set master key – you are required to create a master key / password.

2. Add entry – this is where you add new password entries. Records can be groups by categories. By default, the following categories are provided by the program – Windows, Network, Internet, eMail and Homebanking. You can add new groups or sub-groups from the “Edit > Add Password Group” menu. In this Add Entry screen, you are to add user name and password for the various applications that you have.

I tried adding a few of my email accounts detail here.

Using it : To use it, launch the KeePass program. You are prompted to key in the master key / password that you created earlier.

Then what? The screen above comes out. You can see from the list, which program/email/etc. that you want.

Right click on the list and you have several options. You can copy username or password onto Windows clipboard and then copy them to the username or password fields in the application/website that you want.

But I like the option to drag & drop the username / password. Look at the screenshot below. Just drag the username from the username column onto the username field in Gmail. Repeat the same for the password.

 

Try it out.