iPhone security software: Keeper Password & Data Vault

Keeper is yet another password management system for the iPhone platform. I tested the 3.2 version, released in late September 2009. The application requires around 5.4 MB for installation purposes and the setup is quite simple. You just need to type in your new username and password to get to the main interface. You can choose both a numerical keyboard, as well as one with letters and special characters – using plain numeric passwords is not the best way to go (but, you should know that already).

After setting up your master password, the Keeper interface will appear. Your work environment is rather rudimentary – besides the placeholder for your records, you have edit and add icons at the top, as well as customization and configuration options in the menu at the bottom.

The records are listed in an alphabetic ascending order by default, but you can list them according to their creation timestamps. Keeper doesn’t support categories, but I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. I prefer to use the search option, then browse through the miniature icons.

The options button shows the current configuration. You can connect your mobile “database” with the Keeper Desktop product, or even use it as an interesting method of FTP import/export. FTP transfer can be in plain text or encrypted, and offers a nice alternative for backing up your private data without needing to buy the company’s desktop product.

Besides the connectivity options, you are able to setup predefined fields for your records, as well as toggle on/off security options such as data encryption (I wonder why the ‘off’ option even exists?) and an automatic self destruct process that activates itself after 5 unsuccessful login attempts.

Creating new records is extremely easy – just tap the add (+) button in the upper right corner and you will get a collection of input fields. If you are adding a record for a freshly created account, you can even use a built-in random field generator which can be started by tapping the three dots next to the password form. You can do the same for your username, but I am not so paranoid as to use random characters for a username.

When you create a couple of records, you will see that accessing and searching them is an easy process. Like I said, I prefer this kind of a direct textual way where I don’t need to browse through categories of icons to find the record I need.

Keeper is a very good solution for storing private information. Did I mention it is freely available in the App Store?

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