There are many proprietary password managers on the market for those who want an out-of-the box solution, and then there are open source password managers for those wanting a more customizable option.
In this article, we explain how open source password managers work, discuss their benefits and drawbacks and offer popular solutions from which to choose.
Most password managers are proprietary, meaning their code is designed and owned by a specific corporation and is not subject to change by users.
Open source password managers use code that is publicly accessible and can be modified by users.
Some open source password managers are available for free and allow a community of users to contribute to, revise and update the software over time.
Other providers of open source password solutions are a hybrid between open source and proprietary - their code is based on an open source distribution but has modifications or is packaged in a particular way to make it easier to deploy.
Some of these open source password management distributions are free to use but may have fees for maintenance and support.
Open source password managers work in much the same way as their proprietary competitors.
Like proprietary password managers, open source solutions store passwords using encryption, require user authentication for access and integrate with web browsers and other applications.
Proprietary password managers, open source password managers offer more control over the application's functioning.
An open source password manager's source code can be modified to include a feature that comes standard in a proprietary solution.
More cloud security coverage Open source password manager benefits vs. drawbacks.
Open source password managers foster collaboration and community involvement, leading to developers contributing to the code to improve functionality.
Users must balance the benefits with the drawbacks to determine if an open source password manager is the right choice.
There are, of course, a few drawbacks in opting for an open source solution over a proprietary password manager.
There are a large number of open source password managers.
Open source password managers are attractively priced or sometimes completely free.
For those that lack expertise in open source and security, the best solution would either be a well-supported open source password manager or to seek a proprietary password manager designed for enterprises.
Those who seek heavy customization of password management or have very specific security needs may find open source tools provide more freedom.
Those deploying an open source password manager should be willing to solve many of their issues internally or rely on the user community to crowdsource solutions.
This Cyber News was published on www.techrepublic.com. Publication date: Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:43:06 +0000