Objective: Secure & private password management, prevent anyone from stealing your passwords.

Option 1: Store Keepass PW file in personal cloud service like OneDrive/GoogleDrive/etc , download file, use KeepassXC to Open

Option 2: Use ProtonPass or similar solution like Bitwarden

Option 3: Host a solution like Vaultwarden

Which would do you choose? Are there more options ? Assume strong masterpassword and strong technical skills

  • @hummingbird
    link
    English
    51
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Keepass on phone, desktop and tablet. Sync serverless via Syncthing.

    • completely private
    • always available when needed
    • no dependency on services which may go away
    • all open source software
    • maximum security
    • Ark-5
      link
      fedilink
      English
      510 months ago

      Yup. Same system here. I really like it.

    • Jvrava9
      link
      fedilink
      English
      310 months ago

      Same here. Home server to which desktop and phone connect with OpenVPN.

      • Rootiest
        link
        fedilink
        English
        210 months ago

        Check out tailscale (or headscale)

        It lets you connect those devices without necessarily sending all data through your home network when you are remote. (Though that is an option along with many other great features like ssh authentication)

        It also uses WireGuard for the backend which is more secure and efficient than openvpn.

  • @marcos
    link
    English
    29
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Keepass + syncthing.

    Don’t let your vault go unencrypted through the cloud.

    • ferret
      link
      fedilink
      English
      510 months ago

      Your vault is always encrypted very securly except when in RAM. There is no security concern with uploading it directly to the cloud.

      • @marcos
        link
        English
        110 months ago

        It’s encrypted at rest with a passphrase. Syncthing encrypts it at transit with a random key.

        There is a huge difference on the security of those.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          3
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          Keepass allows you to use a passphrase in combination with a randomly generated keyfile. You only need to copy the keyfiles to your devices once (not via cloud services, obviously). Your actual database can then be synchronized via any cloud provider of your choice (hell, you could even upload it publicly for everyone to see) and it would still be secure.

  • @Heavybell
    link
    English
    2010 months ago

    Keepass fIle in my own nextcloud instances, synced to my phone so I can also use keepass2android. This way if something happens I at least have another copy of it, beyond my backup system.

    • @creed10
      link
      English
      610 months ago

      that’s actually exactly how I have my setup. I just use syncthing to keep everything dynamically backed up as I add passwords. my main login password is memorized and not written down anywhere so I think I’m good

    • @krush_groove
      link
      English
      210 months ago

      I do the same, but synced to Dropbox from computers and phone.

      I have the Proton password manager as well but not sure yet if I’ll do a full swap over.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2
      edit-2
      10 months ago

      That PR might be a while…
      https://github.com/bitwarden/mobile/pull/2629#issuecomment-1731457466

      Considering that android is going to prevent users from importing a CA

      Edit:

      Wait, I think I have my wires crossed.
      I think android is removing the ability for apps to install certs.
      The user has to manually install a cert, and then select it in the app

      Edit again:
      Yeh, this is what I was thinking of:
      https://httptoolkit.com/blog/android-14-breaks-system-certificate-installation/

      But, thinking about it now, I doubt it will actually affect the feature

      • ᓰᕵᕵᓍ
        link
        fedilink
        English
        210 months ago

        “But, thinking about it now, I doubt it will actually affect the feature”

        It will not

        We don’t need to import a custom CA authority here just to insatll a client cert

      • @AbidanYre
        link
        English
        110 months ago

        Using let’s encrypt is a lot easier to deal with on the client side than modifying CAs, although the initial set up of the server can be a pain in the ass if you’re new to it.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1310 months ago

    I’ve used Option 1 with my Nextcloud and it works perfectly. Other options seem more apropriate when you need scale, many user each with their own vault.

    • @[email protected]OP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      410 months ago

      Stupid me, didnt even remember using nextcloud instead of commercial clouds. I like it

  • 👁️👄👁️
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1210 months ago

    I used to self host Bitwarden, but didn’t want the hassle of securing it and updating it properly and consistently. So I just pay $10 for bitwarden premium and I get to support the company.

  • JelloeaterA
    link
    English
    1210 months ago

    Option 1, KeePassXC plus SyncThing, done. Works amazing on all my devices.

    • @krush_groove
      link
      English
      310 months ago

      I’ve never heard of Syncthing, I use Keepass on Windows and my Android, syncing to Dropbox. If I change to Syncthing is it an easy swap, anything I should watch out for?

  • James Kirk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1010 months ago

    Option 2. It’s the most robust. You’ll never lose it (provided you have the redundancy), you can use it offline, you can transfer it using a USB pen, it’s available in all platforms, including web. I’ve been using this for 8+ years, on my phone, desktop, laptop, company computer, etc. I store it on a personal cloud (and on each machine, of course, by syncing).

  • ⓝⓞ🅞🅝🅔
    link
    fedilink
    English
    8
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    I use and prefer option one, but take it a step further in that I host my own cloud service. I used to use Dropbox for years, but we got divorced.

  • @Lightning66
    link
    English
    810 months ago

    Vaultwarden. And take regular back ups. I don’t trust my passwords to be safe anywhere other than my own servers. The chances of my server being hacked is very less.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    710 months ago

    Option 4: levy existing tools such as gpg and git using something like pass. That way, you are keeping things simple but it requires more technical knowledge. Depending on your threat model, you may want to invest in a hardware security key such as a yubikey which works well with both gpg and ssh.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      410 months ago

      Why use tools not meant for password management, when alternative tools explicitly meant for password management, which have similar levels of security, work just fine?

      You’re essentially saying “instead of driving down the road, I like to ride my bike with rollerblades.”

      • bnjmn
        link
        English
        210 months ago

        I have a set up like this (age, passage, & git). Bitwarden’s browser integration works just fine, for the most part. The thing is, some of my passwords are not browser-based, and I spend large amounts of time in the terminal. Using a CLI-tool in this case lets me save a bit of time

        • @nutshell7827
          link
          English
          110 months ago

          Bitwarden has a cli tool which I find pretty useful. Together with jq you can even pipe the password or store it to a variable.

          • bnjmn
            link
            English
            210 months ago

            Ah I didn’t know that! Thanks, will be checking it out for sure

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        210 months ago

        It is just how I prefer to do my computing. I tend to live on the command line and pipe programs together to get complex behavior. If you don’t like that, then my approach is not for you and that’s fine. As for your analogy, I see it more as “instead of driving down the road in a car, I like to put my own car together using prefabs”.