Kaspersky Lab, a leading
manufacturer of secure content management solutions, announces the
release of Kaspersky Password Manager, a robust password storage
solution.
Every day an active user will encounter a large number of online
services and programs which require authorization. In order to access
email, instant messaging services, online banking and shopping accounts
or social networking sites, users have to enter their credentials. A
security-conscious user will create several usernames and passwords and
try to remember the answers to a variety of secret questions that will
help him recover login details if he loses or forgets them. Many
programs that can store your credentials for you, including web
browsers, typically keep them in a non-protected format, exposing the
data to malicious attacks.
Kaspersky Password Manager has been designed by Kaspersky Lab to
address this problem and a number of related issues. The solution
ensures the security of passwords used to access websites and Windows
applications. Kaspersky Password Manager stores passwords, usernames
and other confidential data in a dedicated database that is accessed
via a master password. Kaspersky Password Manager can automatically
recognize and fill in text fields in lengthy online forms and
authorization dialog windows in password-protected websites and
programs. The product helps the user identify themselves to a website
or a program with just one mouse click. All these functions and
capabilities make the new product from Kaspersky Lab an important
addition to the protection provided by Kaspersky Anti-Virus/Kaspersky
Internet Security 2010.
The standard authentication method in Kaspersky Password Manager
requires the user to enter a master password to gain access to the
protected database. This means the user does not have to remember or
keep notes of passwords to all the programs and online services they
use, including those used rarely. All the user has to remember is their
master password. A secret key is generated based on the master
password. The database and the master password are encrypted using
strong algorithms contained in the encryption providers built into
Windows operating systems. The only way to access the password database
is by entering the master password.
An indicator in Kaspersky Password Manager clearly shows how strong
the chosen password is. The user can use this to select a suitably
strong database password. To safeguard against keyloggers, the user can
use a virtual keyboard to enter the master password.
Other authentication methods include using a Bluetooth or USB
device, such as a regular mobile phone, as a unique key to verify the
user’s identity. This provides reliable protection and means the user
doesn’t have to go the trouble of manually entering the master password.
Kaspersky Password Manager seamlessly integrates with other
applications making it easy for the user to access the program. The
product can either be accessed through the Taskbar or by pressing a
button in the Windows GUI. Passwords stored in unprotected format in
web browsers can be automatically imported to the solution’s protected
storage area.
Kaspersky Password Manager is capable of generating strong passwords
up to 99 characters long. This feature helps the user create long,
complex and unique passwords.
The new solution from Kaspersky Lab can run from removable USB media
on any PC without prior installation. The product also provides
protection from phishing attacks, warning the user that it may not be
safe to fill in online forms on suspicious websites.
Kaspersky Password Manager boosts the security level of all
Kaspersky Anti-Virus/ Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 users. With
Kaspersky Password Manager, the user enjoys a new standard of
interaction with applications such as web browsers and IM services.
First-time buyers of the company’s products qualify for a generous
discount: if you buy Kaspersky Password Manager at the same time as
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010, you will receive a discount of almost
40%.
"In light of the ever increasing risk of identity theft, we want to
provide our users with an increased level of security for their logins
and passwords," says Dmitry Ustyuzhanin, Product Marketing Director at
Kaspersky Lab. "We are well aware that most users tend to only have a
couple of passwords for a large number of resources, which is a
particularly unsafe practice. To help improve this situation, we are
giving them a powerful, user-friendly tool that reliably protects their
digital ID."
