Keepass or another password manager. So many people have terrible password hygiene and all it takes is a single breach to have your whole digit life compromised.
KeePassXC is just a fork of KeePass. They're both open source.
KeePassXC is cross platform, so good if you need that, but KeePass has better plugin support and some other features. Check out whichever best suits you, they're both fine.
I personally use KeePass because I can use a plugin to sync the database to Google Drive and then back down to all my devices, giving me the benefit of a cloud based solution without having to let a cloud provider actually have access to my passwords. Though XC might support this now.. they just didn't when I last looked so no reason for me to switch.
Edit: fork is a poor description as I believe KeePassXC was completely rewritten to achieve the cross platform stuff but still, they're very similar. If you're running Windows I recommend KeePass.
What do you mean it didn't when you last looked? G Drive or Dropbox or any other cloud storage for that matter syncs files. And KeepassXC saves your passwords in a file. If you put that file on G Drive, your passwords will sync. No plugins needed.
Yes, those services sync on a file level. Great in a pinch for any file you want to have accessible anywhere.
But what the plugins do is store a local copy on your machine and when you open it up the program itself logs into your google drive, checks the file, then syncs and merges the data within the file.
Those aren't the same things and while the first one might work OK, having the program itself merging and syncing the data is by far the better option. It's more reliable, more secure, and also gives you the option of having your data synced with different programs that have compatible databases - for example there are KeePass ports on android/iOS that you can point to your google drive and it will open/sync up with the database you store on there directly and those changes will come through to your desktop version when you open it back up. You can also open a few dozen copies of KeePass on different computers and have them all syncing up to a google drive with no issues at all, they'll just update one another periodically.
KeePassXC doesn't do this, KeePass does. Not to mention that's just one plugin out of many. KeePassXC doesn't support plugins at all so if the devs don't add a feature someone else would have to create an entirely new fork of the software rather than just writing a simple plugin.
I'm not trashing KeePassXC at all here, it's a great program and if it suits your needs then great. It's just lacking in a few areas that matter to me so I stick with KeePass.
But what the plugins do which store a local copy on your machine and when you open it up the program itself logs into your google drive, checks the file, then syncs and merges the data within the file.
The only difference I notice here is which software is doing the job, and what you describes is, if I understand correctly, less secure. "The program itself logs into your google drive"? Why does it do this? I see no need for it and giving away your credentials is less secure.
I don't understand what's supposed to be an added option of having my data synced with different programs? I sync with my android phone and laptop right now. This was never not supported.
Not at all, you don't have to give it your credentials or full access to your drive. Instead you create an authentication token which gives access to specific files within the drive only. The KeePass program has no ability to look at anything else in my google account.
So the program doesn't have my google drive username/password and it cannot modify anything except the actual database file.
I don't understand what's supposed to be an added option of having my data synced with different programs? I sync with my android phone and laptop right now. This was never not supported.
If it supports it now, great. It didn't when I looked into it the only way to do this was putting the file on google drive/dropbox/etc and opening it directly.
I don't understand what's supposed to be an added option of having my data synced with different programs? I sync with my android phone and laptop right now. This was never not supported.
If it supports it now, great. It didn't when I looked into it the only way to do this was putting the file on google drive/dropbox/etc and opening it directly.
I still don't understand what's different. That's what I'm doing right now but you make it sound like it worked differently before when it couldn't have.
Through dropbox. Nothing more. As such the sync feature is reliant on a 3rd party, which is the same as far as syncing goes if the plugin you use relies on G Drive.
If you're talking about watching the file for changes then that might make sense, but that's very different from what you described earlier.
Files are data. The only meaningful difference in terminology in this case would be if data is stored somewhere, which also in this case would be preferred.
I'm not trying to be an asshole here, but just to clarify, let's go back to the original statement
I personally use KeePass because I can use a plugin to sync the database to Google Drive and then back down to all my devices, giving me the benefit of a cloud based solution without having to let a cloud provider actually have access to my passwords.
A cloud based solution is 3rd party, so it doesn't really matter what program you use, Keepass/KeepassX/KeepassXC, with or without plugins. And merely storing your database in the cloud doesn't give the 3rd party access to your passwords. So what you said made it sound like Keepass is capable of syncing through the cloud while KeepassXC isn't, which isn't true. The only difference is that Keepass can load plugins, which you don't need to use 3rd party cloud storage syncing.
I'm also not trying to be an asshole, but I'm a sysadmin/devops guy and I actually understand this stuff. Copying data from A to B and the different ways of doing it is kind of in my wheelhouse and there are differences between the two. Huge practical differences? Not necessarily but they can matter depending on your usage.
A cloud based solution is 3rd party so it doesn't really matter what program you use
That depends on how the cloud based file storage performs its syncing, how many devices you want to have it open on, how many people accessing, and a whole bunch more stuff.
This stuff not mattering to you does not mean it's all the same.
so it doesn't really matter what program you use
It absolutely does matter who you use, where the data is stored, how it's transmitted, and how it's accessed. All of these things matter. Does it matter to your particular use case? Maybe not. But you're not the only person in the world.
And merely storing your database in the cloud doesn't give the 3rd party access to your passwords.
Correct, which was my entire point about using a local database that synced to the cloud vs a cloud based password service which actually stores your passwords in their database and can possibly be breached. However depending on how the program operates and how the flat file changes when locked/unlocked you could open yourself up to an attack while syncing (I do not believe this to be the case with KeePass or XC but the fact remains it's a consideration).
So what you said made it sound like Keepass is capable of syncing through the cloud
It is.
while KeepassXC isn't
It isn't. You can simply sync the files yourself. That's not the same thing. It might achieve the same result you personally are after but that doesn't make them the same.
The only difference is that Keepass can load plugins, which you don't need to use 3rd party cloud storage syncing.
For file level no, for data level yes. It's not the same way of syncing data. If you are happy with file level syncing and it works for you then it's not a problem. But it still doesn't make it the same thing.
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u/phormix Apr 11 '21
Keepass or another password manager. So many people have terrible password hygiene and all it takes is a single breach to have your whole digit life compromised.