Best Password Managers for Linux

Recommended password managers for Linux

While there are many password managers out there, not all come with Linux-dedicated software. However, there are still some exceptional choices for Linux users.

Linux password managers

Unlike other operating systems, Linux comes with a secure way to create and store passwords. Still, there are many features that make password managers worthwhile for Linux users. The most obvious one is how easy to use they are. Instead of writing commands every time you need to add or change a credential, password managers allow you to do this with just a few clicks. The same is true for generating passwords, as you only need to check a couple of boxes to choose which characters you want to use.

Some password managers also sync across all your devices. Although this means having your information going through the provider’s servers, you can still get software that encrypts data locally on your device. This way, even if the company gets hacked, criminals won’t be able to access your data. Finally, password managers that offer dark web monitoring warn you about breached accounts right away. This is extremely useful, as no matter how strong your passwords are, nothing protects you from companies’ data breaches.

Implementing password security on Linux devices

If you’re a Linux command line user, you can manage user accounts through the passwd command. There are two levels of access: normal users and superusers. While the former can only change their own account credentials, superusers have admin permission to change all profiles within the system or manage them in a distributed authentication mechanism such as NIS, Kerberos, or LDAP. Superusers can also set how complex passwords need to be, the time gap between password changes, forcibly expire credentials, and more.

Unfortunately, passwd comes with many limitations. First, it only works for local accounts, which means you can’t use it for any of your online profiles. Additionally, the command line doesn’t come with cloud syncing, which means that you won’t be able to reach your account credentials on other devices. On top of that, if someone gets their hand on your Linux superuser account, they’ll have access to all your accounts immediately.

That’s why it’s better to secure all your information with a password manager protected by a master password that only you know. Since there are all types of software out there, you’ll easily find the one that offers the number of features and amount of security that you need.