Kristanix Software's Password Protector 2006

[Miles]

Reviewer: Robert "Kougar" Tanner

Date Published: February 1, 2007

Excerpt: "Here we have a nifty program that claims it can protect your passwords. Inside I'll touch on the security protections employed and then take a run through the application, and along the way give some of the reasons why you actually should give this software some consideration. The simple matter is, if you think remembering all of your passwords now is bad, just keep in mind it will only get worse in the future!"

http://www.bjorn3D.com/Material/revimages/rev_forum/kristianix.jpg

Feel free to post your comments and questions here!

Link To Review (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1046)

[Miles]

I was curious how this product differs from the freeware/open source Keepass password vault so I did a little feature comparison between them.


Kristanix Features (unique in red):

* Only one password to remember
* Password Management
* Encrypt files
* Install to Removable Device
* Fast access through the tray icon
* Integrated password generator
* Fast login to webpages using Drag-Drop
* Export to HTML, XML, CSV and Text files.
* Import from CSV and Text files.
* Setup regular auto-backup.
* Quick search for fast retrieval.
* Set icons on entries for easy identification.
* Show password strength.
* Easily copy password to clipboard.
* Lock the database after a certain time of inactivity.
* Print password lists.
* You can set passwords to expire.

Keypass Features (unique in red):
* Highly encrypted databases
* Support of master passwords and key-disks
* Runs on all Windows operating systems and doesn't need to be installed
* Export password list to TXT, HTML, XML or CSV files
* Import from CSV, CodeWallet(Pro) TXT and Password Safe v2 TXT files
* Easy database transfer
* Support of password groups
* Time fields and entry attachment support
* Auto-type, global auto-type hot key combination and drag-n-drop support
* Intuitive and secure Windows clipboard handling
* Searching and sorting
* Multi-language support
* Strong random password generator
* Low memory requirement
* Plugin architecture
* Open-Source!

Frankly it looks too me like a blatant ripoff of keepass since the major functions between the two are identical. I have been using Keepass for over a year now and not only does it look just like this product, but it provides exactly the same functionality. I wonder how much of the Keypass source code Kristanx took for their commercial product. Perhaps I will post a note to the keepass project and have them investigate these guys since I am sure that ripping off open source code and including it in a commercial product is illegal.

[Miles]

Frankly it looks too me like a blatant ripoff of keepass since the major functions between the two are identical. I have been using Keepass for over a year now and not only does it look just like this product, but it provides exactly the same functionality. I wonder how much of the Keypass source code Kristanx took for their commercial product. Perhaps I will post a note to the keepass project and have them investigate these guys since I am sure that ripping off open source code and including it in a commercial product is illegal.


You're right, because I didn't see mention or comparison to KeePass in the review. I suggest a PM to Kougar, since he wrote the article.

[Miles]

You're right, because I didn't see mention or comparison to KeePass in the review. I suggest a PM to Kougar, since he wrote the article.

Interesting program! However if you google "Keypass" you'll find a few dozen programs for "free trials" and then some that are much closer related then Password Protector is. Password Protector is a much more basic, simplified program in comparison to Keepass and while some design elements are remarkable similar there are others which are quite different.

I suppose I should have sought out some software to compare against, but that idea didn't occur to me. I'll have to remember this next time... thanks for pointing this out

Only correction I can make is Kristanix does offer "Time fields and entry attachment support", if I understood ya correctly.

[Miles]

Sorry guys I made the official thread for Kougar's review and went to move your posts to it and hit the merge thread button instead of the move thread button, so I have separated it like it was...again my bad!

[Das Capitolin]

No problem Miles. Kind of nice that a reader (Manic Mouse) beat you to it.

[SwedBear]

For a sec there I thought Miles had gone nuts talking to himself in the thread :).

/B

[XJnine]

Well, this review was good for something, it got me to download and try Keepass. ;-)

[Tr0llh4mm3r]

As much as I love the idea of a password protector, there's just something about them that makes me uneasy. I like the vault in my head.

[Kougar]

Well, this review was good for something, it got me to download and try Keepass. ;-)

Glad you found it useful, even if indirectly. ;) Keepass does look to be fairly good, as long as you don't get any of the look-alikes.

[ManicMouse]

Shouldn't be a problem if you get it from their official site: http://keepass.info/