March 3rd, 2008
My 10 favorite Windows programs of all time
RoboForm (Siber Systems)
Info / Download
Price: Free limited version; Pro version $30, extra licenses $10
System requirements: Windows 98 or later; supports IE and Firefox
Most people have terrible password habits. They choose weak, easy-to-guess passwords, they reuse them on multiple sites, and they’re perfectly willing to type them on a strange PC where heaven only knows what sort of keyloggers might be installed.
The proper strategy, of course, is to assign each website and logon a unique, strong, randomly generated password that’s impossible to guess, and then to change it regularly. Creating and keeping track of all those passwords is impossible without some help. That’s where RoboForm comes in. This utility hooks into IE and/or Firefox (sorry, no support for Opera or Safari) and allows you to generate strong passwords, save credentials in individual files called “passcards” that can be encrypted, and then recall those credentials with a single mouse click (sorry, keyloggers) when you revisit that site again and have to logon. You can also save personal and financial details (bank accounts, credit cards) and fill those in when needed. You can copy everything (encrypted, of course) to a USB key for backup or for use when you’re away from home.
The free version of RoboForm is for personal use only and allows you to save only 10 passcards. For some people, that might be enough. If you’re serious about security, the Pro version is worth it for its ability to save and recall an unlimited number of passwords and to create multiple identities and profiles.
When I register at a new website, I use RoboForm to generate a super-strong random password, fill it in automatically, and then save the credentials for that site. For sensitive sites, I change passwords every month or two. I don’t have to memorize anything, and in fact I don’t even know most of my passwords. Jack Bauer could do his worst and I wouldn’t be able to tell him to how to break into my credit union account. Which is just fine with me.
The company is super responsive and pushes out updates regularly.
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Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 03/03/08
