KeePass 2.x Main Window |
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| Developer(s) | Dominik Reichl |
| Initial release | November 16, 2003 |
| Stable release | 1.21 / October 12, 2011 |
| Preview release | 2.17 / October 19, 2011 |
| Written in | C# (2.x version), C++ (1.x version) |
| Operating system | Windows; Linux, Mac OS X, BSD with Mono (Professional Edition) |
| Platform | Cross-platform |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Type | Password manager |
| License | GPL |
| Website | keepass.info |
KeePass Password Safe is an open-source password management utility for Microsoft Windows, with unofficial ports for Linux, Mac OS X, and a variety of other systems.
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According to the utility's author, KeePass was one of the first password management utilities to use security-enhanced password edit controls, in this case one called CSecureEditEx.[1] The author makes several claims regarding the security of the control and its resistance to password revealing utilities; however, the author does not cite or make any references to any third-party testing of the control to corroborate the claims of its security.[2] The software can be tested, since the source code is freely available.
Access to the database is restricted by either a master password or a key file. Both methods may be combined to create a "composite master key". If both methods are used, then both must be present to access the password database. KeePass version 2.x introduces a third option—dependency upon the current Windows user.[3] KeePass encrypts the database with the AES or Twofish symmetric ciphers. AES is the default option, and Twofish is available in 1.x, but is not available in version 2.x. However a separate plugin provides Twofish as an encryption algorithm.
Passwords are protected in memory while KeePass is running. On Windows Vista and Windows 7, passwords are encrypted in process memory using Windows Data Protection API, which allows storing the key for memory protection in a secure, non-swappable memory area. On previous Windows systems, KeePass falls back to using the ARC4 cipher with a temporary, random session key.[4]
KeePass 1.x does not use any functions that require the latest Windows operating system, such as theming on XP, or relying on the .NET Framework. KeePass supports XP themes, but doesn't require this operating system capability. However, KeePass 2.x — a complete rewrite of the program — is based on the .NET Framework. The application itself does not need to be installed, though KeePass 2.x requires that .NET be installed. A traditional Windows installer is available. You can download the binary ZIP package which contains only the main executable and runs fine from portable devices like USB sticks.
The program doesn't create any new registry keys and it doesn't create any initialization files (ini) in the Windows directory. Deleting the KeePass directory (if the binary zip package is used) or using the uninstaller (if the installer package is used) leaves no trace of KeePass on the system.
A password database consists of only one file that can be transferred from one computer to another easily.
There are ports to operating systems other than Windows, mostly for the older 1.x release (for example KeePassX on Linux and Mac OS X which does not yet support KeePass 2.x databases).
Passwords stored by this application can be further divided into manageable groups. Each group can have an identifying icon. Groups can be further divided into subgroups in a tree-like organization.
Further, KeePass tracks the creation time, modification time, last access time, and expiration time of each password stored. Files can be attached and stored with a password record, or text notes can be entered with the password details. Each password record can also have an associated icon.
The password list can be exported to various formats like TXT, HTML, XML and CSV. The XML output can be used in other applications and re-imported into KeePass using a plugin. The CSV output is compatible with many other password safes like the commercial closed-source Password Keeper and the closed-source Password Agent, also the CSVs can be imported by spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc. Exports from these programs can be imported to KeePass databases. KeePass can parse and import TXT outputs of CodeWalletPro, a commercial closed-source password safe. It can import TXT files created by Bruce Schneier's Password Safe v2. File format support can be expanded through the use of KeePass plugins. The HTML output uses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to format the table, which makes it possible to change the layout.
Auto-type, global auto-type hot key combination and drag-n-drop support: KeePass can minimize itself and type the information of the currently selected entry into dialogs, webforms, etc. KeePass features a global auto-type hot key. When KeePass is running in the background (with opened database) and you press the hot key, it looks up the correct entry and executes its auto-type sequence. All fields, title, username, password, URL and notes can be drag-n-dropped into other windows.
Windows clipboard handling allows to double-click on any field of the password list to copy its value to the Windows clipboard. KeePass can clear the clipboard automatically some time after the user has copied one of his passwords into it. KeePass features a protection against clipboard monitors (other applications won't get notifications that the clipboard content has been changed) and it has a paste-once functionality: allow only one paste operation, after pasting the clipboard is cleared automatically by KeePass.
The auto-type functionality works with all windows, and consequently with all browsers. The KeeForm extension allows to open websites with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox and fill in user details automatically. For Internet Explorer, there's also a browser integration toolbar available.
KeePass features a built-in password generator that generates random passwords. Random seeding can be done through user input (mouse movement and random keyboard input).
KeePass has a plugin architecture. There are various plugins available on the KeePass homepage (import/export from/to various other formats, database backup, integration and automation, etc.). Note that plugins may compromise the security of KeePass, because they are written by independent authors and have full access to the KeePass database.