TechSource: Best Password Managers for Linux

Posted: 06 Sep 2013 09:46 PM PDT

Though passwords have been around for a long time, these days, their presence has become rather overwhelming. There are a dozen different sites we visit everyday and not all of them can be used with the same password. You can use the same password if you want; however, doing that puts you at a huge security risk. So, what to do with so many passwords? How do you remember them?

This is where a password manager comes in.

A password manager helps you manage all your passwords in one safe place so that you won't have to remember them individually. It makes your job easier by letting you look up any stored password instantly and then use it. Furthermore, you also get to create new, secure passwords that are very hard to break. And here's the best part: all these features are at zero cost. Absolutely free!

So, if you're looking for some of the best password managers for your Linux desktop, here's a list of the best ones:

Gringotts

Based on libgringotts, Gringotts is a secure password manager for your Linux device. Not only does the free tool store your passwords, it also lets you store other sensitive data like credit card information and medical records. In fact, Gringotts is more of a sensitive-data suite rather than a dedicated password manager.

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Password Safe

Working across multiple platforms, Password Safe as the name suggests, is a password database utility. Once installed, the application acts like a dedicated safe that stores all your sensitive data. The data is secured and encrypted by a 'master password' so that no one but you can unlock the safe. Overall, the application serves as a great utility for storing passwords of all sorts.

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Figaro's Password Manager

Figaro's Password Manager is a password management application that takes the security of your data very seriously. By encrypting passwords with a blowfish algorithm, it makes sure that your data doesn't go in the wrong hands. As far as the usability part, FPM lets you copy usernames and passwords to the clipboard so that you can easily and quickly login to your favorite sites. The application also keeps track of your login screens so that you can automatically launch the browser to login to your favorite site.

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KeePassX

One of the most popular open-source password managers, KeePassX is an application that is considered to be one of the best alternatives to LastPass. Open-source, free, and cross-platform, KeePassX serves like a safe for all of your passwords. Once installed, the software will store your passwords securely in such a way that you and only you will be able to access them. Also, to ensure tight security, you can use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or the Twofish algorithm so that data is encrypted in 256-bit sized increments. If you are someone who hops from one Linux distro to another, or even one operating system to another, KeePassX gives you the ability to export or import your entries. The entries that can be stored in .pwn, .xml, or .txt format can also help you keep a backup of your data. If you're looking for a solid, well-designed, and trusted app to save your passwords, KeePassX is the most perfect choice you'll make.

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MyPasswords

Though the other tools on this list are very feature-heavy and advanced, there are some apps which are pretty easy to use and don't come with many bells and whistles. MyPasswords is one such app. Working perfectly well across Windows, Mac OS X, and of course Linux, this free application lets you store your passwords in a safe, AES-encrypted database. If you're visiting a new site, MyPassword also comes with a password generator that lets you create safe passwords. Also, for your existing passwords, there is a password analyzer that checks their security level. Once you are done storing your passwords, you can also import/export your data in XML format. Overall, the app is perfect for someone who's looking for a lightweight password manager that works across all platforms.