Proton: a new password manager with end-to-end encryption of all data


Known primarily for its email and VPN services, privacy-minded Proton is getting into password management. Announced in beta on Thursday, the company’s new password manager will initially be available by invitation only to Proton Lifetime and Visionary users. But the program should be launched to the general public later this year.

Password manager, one of the most frequent requests from Proton users, was on Proton’s to-do list for several reasons. The first is the fear that a hacker who compromises your password will be able to bypass the encryption built into an application such as Proton Mail. The second is the concern that other password managers will be subject to breaches, like the recent LastPass hack.

Touting its privacy and security track record with its Mail, VPN, Drive and Calendar products, Proton boasted that its new password manager is the first created by a company specializing in encryption.

Merger between Proton and email alias provider SimpleLogin

Many password managers only encrypt the password field in stored credentials. This leaves the other fields open, which may reveal them to a hacker. In contrast, Proton Pass applies end-to-end encryption to all fields, including username and URL.

To secure your saved login data, Proton Pass uses bcrypt password hashing and an enhanced version of Secure Remote Password (SRP). The new password manager will also integrate two-factor authentication with autofill so you can enable two-factor authentication anywhere to protect your account. Like other Proton services, Proton Pass will be open source and independently audited by third parties.

The origin of Proton Pass lies in the merger, in 2022, between Proton and the email alias provider SimpleLogin. This operation aroused the common interest of the two entities to facilitate the process of connecting to an online account. Proton Pass is the end result, developed by SimpleLogin team members and Proton engineers.

Mozilla was unable to approve the browser extension

Proton Pass beta is available on mobile for iOS/iPadOS and Android devices and on desktop for Chrome and Brave browsers through extensions. Firefox users aren’t affected at this time, as Proton said Mozilla was unable to approve a browser extension in time for the beta release.

Over the next week, eligible Proton Lifetime and Visionary subscribers will begin receiving the Proton Pass beta invitation mail to their Proton Mail address. People testing the new beta are invited to provide feedback via email at [email protected], on Twitter at @ProtonPrivacyor via Reddit at reddit.com/r/ProtonPass.


Source: “ZDNet.com”





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