Password Safe is a KeePass compatible password manager for the Linux desktop.
The open source password manager is said to to ‘integrate perfectly’ with the GNOME desktop and provide its users with an ‘uncluttered’ interface that makes managing password databases a breeze.
Though Password Safe shares the same name as a well-known open-source Windows password manager it is not related.
Why Use a Password Manager?
I can barely remember what I did yesterday, much less what password I set when I signed up for the latest must-see web service
It’s important to use different passwords for each site, service and app you use, but it’s easier said that done.
My memory is junk. I can barely recall what I did yesterday, much less alone what gobbledygook password I set when signing up to try the latest super cool web start-up!
This human aversion to effort is why password managers like KeePass, Dashlane, and LastPass are incredibly popular at the moment.
Put simply, they make managing passwords forgettable — but in a good way.
Password managers let you create an encrypted ‘safe’ in which to store and sync your engorged list of password and login credentials for easy access at any time.
Often cross-platform and cross-device, password managers remember all your pesky passwords so that you don’t have to. All you have to remember is a single master password to unlock the password safe, and leave the app to do the rest.
KeePass Comptaible GTK App
Password Safe Features
Password Safe has been designed according to the GNOME human interface guidelines (HIG).
It has a simple, straight-forward UI and a honed feature set. Together, these make it easy to manage, edit and sort your passwords and logins.
- Create/import KeePass v4 safe
- Random Password generator
- Password, keyfile and composite key authentication
- Create/edit groups and entries
- Move/delete groups and entries
- Database password changing
- Local, global and full-text search filters
Details on Encryption
Like similar programmes, Password Safe safely stores your passwords in an encrypted database. This database is stored as a single file on your system, making it easy to move it (and your passwords) from device to device, and compatible app to compatible app.
The app supports the AES 256 encryption algorithm and the AES-KDF (KDBX 3.1) derivation algorithm (used by default in KeePassXC). Other algorithms are not supported at present.
Password Safe functions as KeePass client as it allows you to either create or import a Keepass v.4 format (KDBX 4) database. Philipp Schmitt’s pykeeypass library is used to allow the app to ‘interact with keepass databases’ saved in this format.
Install Password Safe on Linux
Password Safe looks good, works well, and is actively development.
You can install the app on virtually any modern Linux distro, including Ubuntu, as the app is hosted on Flathub, the Flatpak app store:
Users of Arch Linux can install the latest version of the app straight from the AUR.
A development version of Password Safe is available to install from the project’s Gitlab page, though you should be careful while using this and create plenty of backups if using an important ‘real’ database.
Other well-tested password manager apps are available for Linux including KeePassX, KeePassXC and Dashlane.