PassKeeper

PassKeeper is a program I wrote when I first started using Linux. At the time I was using the PassKeeper for Windows, written by Brad Greenlee. Since I couldn't find a decent equivalent for Linux, I wrote my own in Java. It's evolved a bit since then (it was originally called JPass) but not much has changed in terms of functionality.

PassKeeper is a password manager that you can use to store username/password/URL/other info about accounts. I need it a lot since I have all sorts of accounts for all sorts of things all over the web (as do most people these days). The data is encrypted using an open-source Blowfish library (I didn't write it) that is included. This is written in Java, so you'll need a Java Runtime Environement (1.4 or higher) to run it. If you don't have one, you can download one for your platform from Sun's website at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp - just click on the "Download JRE" link and follow the instructions.

The software is packaged in a JAR (Java Archive) file, so once you get the JRE, you should be able to run the application just by double-clicking on the JAR file. Or, if you're a command-line person, you can run it by running "java -jar PassKeeper.jar" from the command line.

Disclaimer

By downloading this software, you understand and agree that I provide absolutely no warranties (either express or implied) about the software. In no event will I or other contributors to the software be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages arising in any way out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.

Download PassKeeper.jar (51,126 bytes)

Screenshot

PassKeeper v1.0, screenshot taken on Mandrake 10.0/KDE, with Java 1.4's default Metal Look and Feel

Useful information

The password data is stored in a file called "passwords" in the ".jpass" subdirectory of your home directory. This would c:\windows on a Windows 98 machine, or C:\Documents and Settings\<your username> on a Windows 2K/XP machine. If you're using Linux, it's.. well, your home directory (/home/...). There is also a config file stored in the same directory which stores some settings. The password data is encryped using a Blowfish encryption algorithm (which I did NOT write - it's an open-source algorithm called BlowfishJ, written by Markus Hahn).

Using PassKeeper

The first time you run the program, it will ask you for a password with which to encrypt the data. Do not lose this password; you will need to type it in every time you open your password data file. You can change this later by selecting the "Change password" option in the configure menu. Most of the options should be fairly obvious and easy to use. The "Generate Random Password" option in the Records menu creates a random password with lower-case letters and digits. The password will be 8-10 characters in length. If you wish to keep this password as the password for the selected account, click on the "yes" button on the box that pops up with the password. If there is already a password in the selected account, that password will be erased. If you change any settings, you should save the settings by choosing the "Save settings" item in the Configure menu. If you do not save your settings, the previous settings will be used the next time you run the program.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl+L: Transfer focus back to the main list.
• Ctrl+G: Shortcut to the generate random password feature.
• Insert: Create new entry (when the focus is on the main list).
• Delete: Delete the current entry (when focus is on the main list).