password

Password Safe is a strong contender in a large field of similar applications. The irritation of its obtuse interface is lessened by the inclusion of a thorough Help file and a healthy stable of features.

The arrangement of the icons on the toolbars and lack of text under the icons meant having to hunt for the right tools. However, after wading through the interface, the various functions all seemed well conceived and well executed. The capability to install in "portable mode" proved to be an extremely useful feature. Password creation is also another strong point, with the capability … Read more

This is yet another application that lets users encrypt and store passwords and other data. It is also another app that claims to be free, but confuses users with conflicting information. PC Digital Safe's simple button and list interface logically names and displays all functions. This isn't an app that requires an extensive manual. Yet, the publisher added a too-slow "Quick Start Guide" that is too cartoonlike to be of use.

This app works like most similar password storage programs. Users enter passwords and such data by filling out publisher designed templates. Start by clicking the … Read more

It falls squarely in the middle of the pack as far as password keepers go, but easy to learn pull-down menus, and simple program operation make the application one for less experienced users. Nothing truly special here, but no out and out flaws either.

Right off the bat, Scarabay proves to go only half way. The app allows users to drag and drop Web site, login, and password data onto your favorite browser. Unfortunately, users must perform the work with three steps. A front runner would open the page and fill in the data with one double-click. The application also … Read more

This password display app is a little thin, and it's not entirely because of the partial transparency of the interface. Asterisks Password Viewer's simple dialog-sized interface is inexplicably semitransparent. There really isn't a need for the interface at all, but there is no reason to make it ghostly or to not let the user choose his or her preference.

In a common case of shareware name following function, Asterisks Password Viewer displays system passwords obscured by asterisks. Simply drag its magnifying glass icon over a protected password to reveal the true characters. Of course, the demo only … Read more

It's less an advanced security application than an odd grouping of tools: this utility suite simply bundles together a group of so-so functions. Advanced Security Tool's multitabbed check-box laden interface offers no Help manual or much in the way of onscreen instruction. Intermediate users will pick up the basic functions with a few minutes of click and watch. Advanced users have the option of a custom install, but then the program doesn't offer any customization. It doesn't get much better from there. The functions are not well-explained or very useful to experienced users.

The app places … Read more

It's simple enough for the novice to use, but there's nothing simplistic about this system utility's hard-disk password protection.

The program's clean, easy-to-use interface holds basic command buttons across the top of the window and displays your PC's disk partitions. A wizard and extensive Help file ensure that you're on the right path to protection. The first easy step is selecting the kind of protection--boot or partition--and choosing the disk to protect. In addition to a 30-day trial period, the program has a restriction that prevents you from creating your own password. But no … Read more

This free password and key generator is about as bare-bones as it gets. Its simplicity will appeal to novice users, but more experienced users are going to want more options.

WPA Key/Password Generator has a very plain user interface, but it's clean and professional. The program uses numbered steps to guide users through the generation process. First, you select to generate either a WPA key or a password. Second, you select from three strengths (Good, Better, Best) that differ based on the number of characters that you want. The third, and final, step is to click the Generate … Read more

While this free tool successfully encrypted our selected files, its password protection feature failed to fully secure the files.

Marx 448 Bit Encryption opens with a pleasant looking, tabbed user interface. A closer look revealed options that weren't immediately recognizable, and we had to pay a visit to the Help feature to figure out how to get started. You have to flip to the Setup tab to add or remove files. You also can select the key depth, choose from two encryption methods, and input how many passes you want the program to perform. After some manipulation, we were … Read more

While it can password protect user-specified applications, the trade-off in speed is too high a price to pay.

Password Door has an easy-to-use interface that requires you to create a master password to access it. The tabbed style lets you select an application from a list. If you can't find a specific program on the list, there is a search function available under the Options menu. From the main window, you can opt to create a separate password for protecting the application, or you can opt to use your master password. In our tests, Password Door worked fine with … Read more