How To Secure Keepass Database
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the fundamental usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you how to really use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The initial step is developing a new password database. KeePass will store all of your passwords in this database. To produce one, click 'File - New...' in the primary menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A window can look, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database will undoubtedly be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here would be the only password you'll ever have to remember from on now. It must be long and developed of mixed characters. Bear in mind that when someone gets your database file and guesses the password, he could access all passwords you stored in the database.
With this tutorial, we'll just work with a password, not really a key file. Click to the password edit field and enter a code of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel free to even enter an entire sentence (just keep in mind that you may need to remember it).
KeePass 1.x Only
After clicking [OK], a second dialog appears, in which you have to repeat the master password you just entered in the previous dialog. This is in order to avoid accidental typing errors.
KeePass 2.x Only
After clicking [OK], a second dialog appears. In this dialog you can configure some generic database properties. For now, just leave everything as it is and click [OK].
Now you see the key window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the best, you see the particular password entries. The password entries are grouped together into the password groups you see on the left. So, depending which group on the left you selected, it'll show you the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has established several default groups for you personally, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own personal ones.
Adding an access
Time and energy to store your initial password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the proper password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A screen will pop up. In this window now you can edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If that you don't need some of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your brand-new entry in the password list on the proper now.
How To Secure Keepass Database
| KeePass 2.40 | |
|---|---|
Installer for Windows (2.40): Download NowKeePass-2.40-Setup.exe Download the EXE file above, run it and follow the steps of the installation program. You need local installation rights (use the Portable version on the right, if you don't have local installation rights). | Portable (2.40): Download NowKeePass-2.40.zip Download the ZIP package above and unpack it to your favorite location (USB stick, ...). KeePass runs without any additional installation and won't store any settings outside the application directory. |
| Supported operating systems: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 (each 32-bit and 64-bit), Mono (Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, ...). | |
| KeePass 1.36 | |
|---|---|
| Installer for Windows (1.36):Download Now KeePass-1.36-Setup.exe Download the EXE file above, run it and follow the steps of the installation program. You need local installation rights (use the Portable version on the right, if you don't have local installation rights). | Portable (1.36):Download Now KeePass-1.36.zip Download the ZIP package above and unpack it to your favorite location (USB stick, ...). KeePass runs without any additional installation and won't store any settings outside the application directory. |
| Supported operating systems: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 (each 32-bit and 64-bit), Wine. | |
How To Secure Keepass Database
Using entries
You got the newest entry in the password list now. Exactly what do you do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have several options now. You can like copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into some other program of your choice. The exact same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to drag&drop fields into other windows. To see a good example of how this works, see this site: Drag&Dropping Fields.
KeePass can open the URL you specified. To achieve this, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass will start the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Secure Keepass Database
Saving the database
It's time for you to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a disk; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, you now need to specify a location where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Secure Keepass Database
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! Now you can have a go through the heightened options that come with KeePass.
Passwords and Key Files: In the tutorial above we've encrypted the database utilizing a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you can lock your database employing a file (which you can carry around in your USB stick for example). It even supports combining those two methods for maximum security.
TAN Entries: TAN entries are one-time passwords. Many banks are using TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when working with them.
Auto-Type: The auto-typing functionality is just a very powerful feature. In the tutorial above you've copied the username and password of an access to the clipboard. Wouldn't it be nice if KeePass would just type those strings for you personally into other windows? Wouldn't it be nice if you might define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you? That's precisely what the Auto-Typing feature does: it sends simulated keypresses for you really to other windows!
URL Field Capabilities: The URL field supports URLs of course. In the tutorial, you've learned as possible enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. However the URL field can do more! It really supports numerous protocols (not just
http) and supports executing Windows command lines through the cmd:// virtual protocol. The field also comes with a powerful substitution engine, replacing codes by other fields (username, password, ...) of the entry.Command Line Capabilities: You can open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you realize that you may also send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You can also use the command line to pre-select a vital apply for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass comes with a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a consider the plugins page to see if there are others that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Secure Keepass Database
General information
When downloading KeePass, you've the option between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A company program for Windows.
- KeePass-2.xx.zip: A KeePass ZIP package (portable version).
- KeePass-2.xx-Source.zip: The foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The source code package contains all you need to compile KeePass. It includes the C#/C++ source code and header files, resource files, sources for building the installer, etc.
Updating KeePass:
Each time a new KeePass version has been released, you can update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending on which package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated when you put in a new KeePass version. You will find the most recent translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Secure Keepass Database
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team provides an installer, which copies KeePass to your hard disk, creates shortcuts in the start menu and associates KDBX files with KeePass, if desired.
Additionally, KeePass is automatically configured to store its settings in the application form data directory of the existing user. This way multiple users can use one KeePass installation without overwriting each other's settings (each user has his own configuration file). The setup program must run with administrative rights, however KeePass runs fine without administrative rights once it's installed.
Installation:
To set up KeePass, run the
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file and follow the wizard.Updating:
Run the
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file. You do not have to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options won't be lost.Uninstallation:
In order to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which is accessible with a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program part of the machine control panel. If additionally you want to eliminate your configuration settings, you will need to delete the configuration file in the application form data directory of one's user profile
Silent Installation:
The KeePass installer
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe supports command line switches for silent installation, i.e. this system gets installed without asking an individual for target directory or association options. The default settings of the installer are used.The
/SILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and shows a status dialog through the setup process. No questions will be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and does not show a status dialog throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination road to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a current KeePass installation, it assumes that an individual wants to do an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is going to be overwritten by the brand new version. If you want to move an existing KeePass installation to a different path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the new version will then display the destination path selection page again.
Options/Components:
The installation options/components are explained at length here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in more detail?.
How To Secure Keepass Database
Portable version (KeePass-2.xx.zip file)
The portable version can be carried around on portable devices (like USB sticks) and runs on any computer directly from the device, without any installation. It doesn't store anything on the body (in contrast to the setup package, see above). KeePass doesn't create any new registry keys and it doesn't create any configuration files in your Windows or application data directory of one's user profile.
Be sure that KeePass has write access to its application directory. Otherwise, when it doesn't have, it'll attempt to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the applying data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about this, see this page
Installation:
KeePass does not need to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite ZIP program and KeePass is preparing to be used. Copy it to a spot of your option (for example on your USB stick); no additional configuration or installation is needed.
Updating:
Download the most recent portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy brand new files on the old ones. Your configuration settings won't be lost (the settings are stored in the KeePass.config.xml file, which won't be overwritten, because KeePass ZIP packages don't include a KeePass.config.xml file).
Uninstallation:
Simply delete the KeePass folder. This can leave no trace of KeePass on your system.