This permission is safe, but optional, and will enable the integration that is required to enable unlock with biometrics.ĭeclining this permission will allow you to use the browser extension as normal, without unlock with biometrics functionality. To facilitate this integration, browser extensions except Safari will ask you to accept a new permission for Bitwarden to communicate with cooperating native applications. Two things to bear in mind before enabling the integration are Permissions and Supportability, documented below: Permissions For all except Safari, the Bitwarden desktop app must be logged in and running in order to use unlock with biometrics for a browser extension.īrowser extensions support the same biometrics options as desktop for Windows via Windows Hello using PIN, Facial Recognition, or other hardware that meets Windows Hello biometric requirements and for macOS via Touch ID. In practical terms, this means:įor all browser extensions, you will need to enable unlock with biometrics in desktop before proceeding. But, as a former LastPass devotee now firmly in the Bitwarden camp, I'm more convinced than ever that simple is beautiful.Unlock with biometrics is supported for extensions through an integration with the Bitwarden desktop app. Is Bitwarden's interface as pretty as LastPass'? Not if you like digital gewgaws and finessed design (don't we all?). Still, I'd like to see more disclosure from the company about which subsidiaries and affiliates Bitwarden may be able to share your data with. Yes, Bitwarden does collect certain types of data: Your credit card number if you're a premium user, your email address so you can log in, your IP address and other information that could verify your identity.īut the list of third-party entities it shares that data with - my larger concern - is fairly limited by comparison, and Bitwarden does have an opt-out option which would further reduce that number. Even so, Bitwarden's privacy policy reads as plainly as you could ask for. LastPass' premium competitors 1Password and KeePass have no trackers.īeing open-source, Bitwarden's privacy policy and terms of use are somewhat easier to believe than some others, since so much of the machinery is visible. While LastPass' password encryption normally protects your passwords from being viewed by any tracker or site, these trackers let third-party companies collect a startlingly complete record of the sites you visit.īy comparison, Bitwarden had two. The web trackers on LastPass included those from Google Analytics, AppsFlyer and Mixpanel. The Exodus Privacy app, developed by the Guardian Project to document the number of trackers and permissions other apps use, discovered seven web trackers (now down to five) in the Android version of LastPass earlier this year. The web trackers found on LastPass' website previously raised a privacy concern worth noting and pushed me past the tipping point toward Bitwarden. That means if the public-facing Bitwarden service ever gets breached, your own vault should theoretically be secure. Its security is just as strong as LastPass', with both offering two-factor authentication, zero-knowledge password encryption (neither company can see your vault entries) and customizable password complexity rules. In fact, it offers a convenient, ongoing list of all of its security certifications and audits. Its open-source roots are one of Bitwarden's most appealing features, allowing the web at large to inspect its code for flaws and suss out hidden security threats that aren't as easily identified in proprietary, closed-source software.īitwarden's efforts at transparency extend to its public collection of readily accessible audits, certifications and codebase - including its independent audit by Cure53. Online services cost money to develop and maintain, and companies often pay for free services by sharing your data with third-party advertisers, putting your privacy at cross purposes with a corporation's revenue stream.īut Bitwarden's free service has me at ease. When it comes to privacy management services, I'm slow to recommend free services.
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