One more step to unhitching from Google…
Right now the only option I see in F-Droid is Aegis.
I’m not sure what to actually look for side from checking for unexpected permissions and reasonably frequent updates.
Hopefully something I can sync with a GNOME app…
Aegis
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Gans
I use Aegis, automatically backed up every time a new key is added. Was using Authy for a while, but they’re going down the enshittification hole, so I dumped them.
I use Aegis, it works well
I like Aegis.
Aegis.
I like the auto backup feature (encrypted) . Then the backup is synced to computer via Syncthing.
Set and forget setup.
For me aegis is by far the best. Simple. Encrypted. Backup. It’s saved to a syncthing folder. Passwords are in bitwarden for simpme stuff but keepassxc is great. And also synced via syncthing.
I also use aegis. Have been for years and it works great
Bitwarden as Vaultwarden enables TOTP.
Aegis for time codes, Nitrokey for physical 2FA tokens.
Bitwarden. I don’t self host it, though. $10 a year for password management and 2FA is fine by me.
It’s niche but I like to point it out whenever I get the opportunity: if your workplace uses Bitwarden Enterprise, every licensed user gets a free family plan that can be linked to any account. I haven’t personally paid for BW for years.
Same. Self hosting it sounds nice, and I self host a handful of services, but I don’t want to be stuck without passwords in another country with a dead server at home because a power cut happened at some point.
Bitwarden caches your vault to your device, so you don’t actually need a live connection to the server.
I had fault in my server this summer and my local bitwarden app wouldn’t work without the connection. Same in my laptop, if the connection is blocked by the firewall it doesn’t let me load the vault at all.
bitwarden works fine for me without connection, you just cant update/create passwords
Oh, that’s actually good to know. I guess it makes sense for when you don’t have a good connection as well.
As I’ve seen gaming server subscriptions go from £36/y to £23/m (Xbox) in a few years, and cloud CCTV storage from £40/y to £16/m (Google via acquisition of Nest) in a few months, I say we count our stars when a subscription cost remains fair.
I’m on the same plan, I do plan to self host it though as a backup only.
Bitwarden
I’m a little concerned about having OTP and passwords together in one system.
OTP is on my phone, Bitwarden is on my computer. I don’t use the OTP in Bitwarden.
This is the way. I use Bitwarden and Aegis.
The issue here is putting Bitwarden on your phone with OTP in Bitwarden.
On the phone, I use Authy, More eggs - more baskets.
Bitwarden
Yah, I can’t see a point to have another app/extension when Bitwarden has it built in, and it’s a great password manager.
But if they get your Bitwarden vault and crack it - they have everything Throw a roadblock in their way - use a separate app for OTP.
The point of 2FA is “something you have” and “something you know” to enter a secured system.
If you put both of those into one system that is accessible by one password, the whole concept is defeated.
My threat model isn’t having someone take my computer and log into stuff so my concern when using 2FA is more about them having gotten hold of a password remotely. But a TOTP makes that password pretty hard to use, no matter where it’s stored. And my BW is also protected by a Yubi/password combo, so I guess I’m just vulnerable to having that beaten out of me.
The other issue with this - If you lose access to that one system, you’re SOL. It’s a single point of failure.
That I could accept as a good reason.
Wait, it does? Including in the mobile app? I don’t see it.
Right under Password in the edit screen of an item: Authenticator Key. You put in the auth key the target site provides you when you enable TOTP and it will start generating timed tokens. Usually you’ll also get a one-time pad of backup keys, I usually toss those in the Notes of the edit screen there as well in case something goes wrong.
The browser extension also lets you scan the page for QR codes for the TOTP key.
I use Aegis on my phone.
I’ve been using KeePassXC. I use Syncthing to keep the database synchronized between computers.
Same here. If it’s TOTP based 2fa, you can keep them in entries and use them from there.
Tbh, if you’re using the same DB for PWs, you’ve successfully downgraded to 1FA now. Except maybe if you use a seperate KeyStick/Yubikey as secret bearer or smth
More like 1.5FA, at least. It still protects against passwords being compromised in any way that doesn’t compromise full access to your password database, which is still a lot better than using just passwords without a second factor.
that’s like calling strong randomly generated passwords 1.5FA.
with proper MFA, even if you steal my password (database), you won’t be able to steal my account, as you’re missing the second factor. with classic otp this is just a single use number you enter on the potentially compromised system, but if you get the seed (secret) stolen, valid numbers can be generated continuously.
password managers (should) protect against reuse. MFA protects against logins on untrusted and potentially compromised systems/keyloggers if they’re not extracted live. password managers with auto fill and phishing resistant MFA can prevent phising, although the password manager variant is still easily bypassed when the user isn’t paying enough attention, as it’s not even that uncommon for login domains to change. obviously there are also other risks on compromised devices, like session cookie exfiltration, and there is a lot of bullshit info around from websites, especially the ones harvesting phone numbers while claiming to require it for 2FA just to gaslight users.
even if you steal my password (database)
That’s a big leap you’re doing there, equating stealing a password to stealing a password database. Those are very different. Stealing a password can be done through regular phishing, or a host of other methods that don’t require targeted effort. Stealing a password database, if properly set up, is a lot harder than that. It depends of course on what password manager you’re using, but it usually involves multiple factors itself. So equating that to just a password, no matter how strong and random, is just misleading.
Mind you, I agree that it’s less secure than “proper” MFA, and I’m not saying that everybody should just use MFA through a PW manager. I am using physical security keys myself. But for a lot of regular people that otherwise just couldn’t be bothered, it’s absolutely a viable alternative that makes them a whole lot safer for comparatively little effort. Telling them they just shouldn’t bother at all is just going to create more victims. There is no such thing as perfect security, and everyone has a different risk profile.
I would say it still counts as 2fa just shifting what is verifying you to your password manager and using the site password and 2fa as a way to verify the password manager with the site. If setup right they would have to have the database and your password to decrypt it not just one or the other and for password managers that sync the database it should require your password and 2fa to sync to a new device so it can’t just be freely grabbed. If that doesn’t count as 2fa then I would like to see an argument about how okta signing you into sites counts as 2fa as it is basically the same thing.
I’ve been using Aegis for several years now without any problems. It replaced the Google Authenticator seamlessly.
Aegis ♥️
Yubikey. It supports TOTP as well as passkeys. Plus is a physical device separate from my phone. Recommend getting 2 to have 1 as backup
