14 DAY TRIAL // Having more and more web accounts to harness has resulted in the need of having some kind of application able to store all those hard to remember passwords. One way would be applying the same password for all the accounts, but where is the security in that? Once one of your accounts is cracked the thief practically gains access to all your information.
Password managers nowadays come equipped with strong encryption methods so that no one but you can handle the data they store. One master password, heavily protected by all means possible to store tens of digital keys to various account you use. That is the basic service a good password manager should have. Along the way it can be improved with different options designed to make it more flexible and more fit to your needs. Complicated tools of this kind come with built in password generators and all sorts of choices when it comes to encrypting the password. Also, they feature customization options for creating new fields and for storing other type of data, like credit card numbers, bank accounts, credit card PINs, etc.
Zippy Lock is similar in one point with the traditional password managers on the market. It too needs a master password to be unlocked and that is also heavily protected by a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) defense wall, and the file storing all the data is also strongly protected by 3TDES encryption algorithm which uses three distinct 56-bit DES keys. That is a pretty tough one to crack as you would need 232 plaintexts, 2113 steps, 290 DES encryptions and 288 memory.
The interface is extremely plain and there is nothing to be explained as you have everything out into the open. As soon as you launch the application for the first time you will be required to create the encrypted file storing all the sensitive data. There is no great deal to it as all you have to do is name it and browse to a location where you want it stored.
When it comes to applying a password, things become slightly complicated as you will no longer be able to use that delicate password you grew so attached to. Having at least one lower case, one upper case and a number in its construction is a must this time.
That is all you have to do in order to gain access to the insides of the application and start filling it with sensitive data. However, there is another protection forcing intruders to give up. It is called CAPTCHA and its role is to prevent dictionary attacks hackers usually appeal to. There is a very thorough explanation on how this works on the developer's website. To put it shortly, besides the password, in order to log into Zippy Lock you will also have to type in the numbers displayed in the cation in the left hand side of the application window. In an earlier version of this software this feature failed to work properly and there was no trouble logging in without providing the four numbers in the caption. However, the latest version of the application fixed the issue and now it works just fine. If you fail to type in the four numbers and the master password correctly you will simply be creating a new encrypted file to store your sensitive data.
Zippy Lock is not abundant in options, but it manages to do well for the user. There is an export function in the File menu which will save all the encrypted data in a CSV file. Lock function is designed to freeze the application in a locked up state from which it can be snapped out of only by providing the right password.
Tools menu allows you to change the master password and provides access to the options of the application. These include setting Zippy to always stay on top, automatically lock it after a user defined time of inactivity and the clipboard clearing time. As it is designed to make you avoid typing in difficult countersigns Zippy will store them to clipboard for a while until you paste them into the appropriate field.
Storing the passwords is a snap the only fields required to be filled are Name and password (twice for verification). Another option is adding a few notes about that account. All of this information will be safeguarded by the 3TDES encryption over the container file.
For those that have a myriad of passwords to store there is a search function available also. The only criteria it needs is providing the name of the account. In an instant the account will be displayed on the screen. For pasting the password in the appropriate section all you need to do is click the account in Zippy Lock (it automatically saves the data to clipboard) and then paste it in the required field.
The Good
Zippy Lock is absolutely free and despite its light footprint and its small proportions as well as limited options it manages to handle a great deal of passwords.
Unlike other passwords managers, Zippy Lock is designed strictly for safe guarding passwords. The ease of use and low footprint in computer resources make it almost invisible on your system.
The auto lock function is very handy as it supplies security against unauthorized persons. CAPTCHA feature blocks dictionary attacks from hackers. It may be a little more difficult to log into the software but it is for your own safety.
The Bad
Knowing that I no longer had to type in the passwords made me feel the need of a password generator to create strong countersigns for my accounts. This is a feature Zippy Lock lacks.
The minimum features available in ZippyLock do not allow you to export the sensitive data to other format except CSV.
The CSV file cannot be saved to a user defined location and it is automatically stored in the same folder with the 3TDES encrypted file storing your account names and passwords.
The Truth
That is not a biggie as a less cautious user may forget to delete the file (despite the warning displayed by the application upon saving it) and unauthorized persons may get their hand on it (that would simply be the user's mistake).
It is the simplest software I ever got my hands on. Home users will definitely appreciate it despite all the functionality and rich features provided by similar applications. Zippy Lock is absolutely free and enables you to give up typing in the log in passwords. All you have to do is paste them in the appropriate field.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
