20 September 2007

Roboform: stop using the same password for everything

Roboform is the best password manager and web form filler available for Windows. It completely automates password entering and form filling. No other password manager can match Roboform. I spent two entire days looking for a (preferably free) Roboform replacement. Let me save you the time: there is no password manager available for Windows that can match Roboform in security and convenience.

What is so good about Roboform?
Roboform integrates right into the browser, and requires one click to save a passcard (your login details for a particular site). The next time you visit that website, Roboform will bring the appropriate passcard to your attention. Roboform allows you to insert your username and password and log in all with one click. You never have to type that user name and password again. Why is this secure? Because if your computer is ever infected by a key logger, your passwords will not be stolen - because you are not typing them :)

Apart from automation, the other great advantage of Roboform is that it can generate long, complex passwords for you, and it will remember them so that you don't have to.

All you have to remember is the Roboform master password which unlocks all others - so make it a very good one! If you forget the master password, then you will have to reset all your passwords and start again. If your computer is ever infected by a key logger, and your master password is stolen, it doesn't really matter because the thief doesn't have your copy of Roboform on their computer, and therefore cannot do anything with your saved passcards :)

Roboform works with Internet Explorer and Firefox (and Firefox-based browsers such as Flock and Camino). This is great because Roboform will log me in to Outlook Web Access (for my MARCS email), even if I view this page in IE Tab - so that the advanced features of Outlook are enabled.

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3 comments:

Mark Antoniou said...

The Mac alternative to Roboform is called Password Manager with AutoFill for Mac OS X. I have watched the video on the homepage, and it also looks excellent. The homepage is http://1passwd.com/.

Unknown said...

What free RoboForm replacements did you find during your two-day search? Just the names of the applications is sufficient but you can add why they don't match RoboForm if you like.

Mark Antoniou said...

Wow, this is going back a little. From memory, the only serious Roboform alternative that I came across was a free piece of software called KeePass. I tried using it at the time, but it was a little too difficult to get it to do what I wanted. It may be worth re-checking it out now, some two years later.

I had also looked at a number of other form fillers, but they did not have the ability to store and generate powerful passwords. Hope this helps.