Looking for a better way to keep track of all the login names and passwords you use to access information on a regular basis? At Dynamic Edge, we’ve been using password databases for years, which makes our lives simpler because all the passwords we need are stored in one location.
After serious searching, we’re happy to say that we’ve found a free, open source password manager that you can use to manage your passwords in a secure way — just like us!
On any given day, you probably use a password to log onto the Windows network, another one for your e-mail account, one for your website’s FTP site, and that’s just at work! You’ve also got a password for online banking, one for Facebook, one for LinkedIn, and the list goes on and on… Wouldn’t it be nice if there were something that could helps you to manage all of these passwords in a safe, secure way?
With KeePass, you can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key file. Now, you only have to remember one password (or select the key file) to unlock your whole database.
Follow these steps to get the portable version of KeePass for free:
- Download the zip file for Portable KeePass 2.36 here.
- Unpack it to your favorite location — USB stick, removable hard drive, smartphone, etc.
- Launch KeePass and choose a Master Password. (See bottom of this posting for a great password strategy!) You may also choose to use a key file for added security.
- To add passwords, go to Edit and choose to Add Entry, Add Group, or Add Subgroup. (You get the same options by right-clicking on the left side menu.)
- To retrieve passwords, Login using your Master Password and select the account you need to access.
- Right-clicking on any of these entries will give you the option to copy the Username or Password. (As well as numerous options including: Add, View or Edit entry, Delete an entry, Open a URL and so on…)
- Paste the password you’ve copied from KeePass in the appropriate login field, and you’re all set!
About Passwords
KeePass has it’s own Random Password Generator — which is a neat feature if you need to change a password quickly, but you don’t have time to think of a clever password you’ll remember. To use this feature, look under Tools. Passwords generated using the Random Password Generator are truly random — so make sure to save these in your KeePass database (because you will forget them!).
When it comes to passwords, we suggest that you try doing this:
Come up with a phrase, and then convert that phrase into a password. Be sure to use at least 6 uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and punctuation marks.
Here’s one example.
If my phrase is: My birthday is on the 7th of September!
I could use: “Mbiot7os!” as my password.
