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SEPTEMBER 7, 2006
RoboForm: Software for keeping secrets
RoboForm is a tool that allows you to save all of your personal data including addresses, passwords, credit cards, social security number, email addresses, and birthday. I guess you could say most of the really private details of your life and background. This seemed scary to me at first so I kept putting the completion of this review off until I could not justify doing so any longer. Having someone insert an auction into my eBay account by hacking into it may have been somewhat of an incentive for finally doing this review.
I can say the install was easy and the instructions for getting started were simple to follow. Being sort of chicken about it I decided to install it on my Notebook computer as that is the one most likely to be lost or stolen since it travels with me wherever I go. The first big decision you are presented with is whether you want to password your entire system so that any unauthorized person cannot access it. Doing this is a good choice for me on the notebook but I am not sure I want to have a password between me and my desktop. Unfortunately I have a very poor memory so I would have some real problems if I lost track of the password I chose as this password is not recoverable.
 RoboForm has a great tutorial for new users. I recommend starting there after installing the product. AutoSave is set as the default so that all sites you visit that require you to enter login and password information can be saved if you wish to do so. Unless you change the name of the login created by AutoSave it will be saved with the name of the web site you are accessing. This means you can log to any site in the login list by clicking the site to be accessed by name.
Setting up an identity file so forms could be automatically filled is very simple. I filled in much of the requested information but decided not to include things like credit cards and social security at this point as I am a paranoid geek. I have read many reviews and comments on RoboForm and long time users feel it is safe to do that. Maybe later!
SafeNotes is a feature that can save other critical information in an encrypted file. Stuff you need but don’t want to store in a text file that anyone can open once they gain access to your computer. This can include ATM card passwords, Safe lock combinations, Software activation codes, or UNIX telnet and rlogin passwords as well as other sensitive stuff. You will learn how to add SafeNotes to your RoboForm toolbar as well as how to set it up when you take the tutorial should find this took helpful to you.
Master Password Caching is the one I worry about forgetting but it is very helpful if you have others who use your computer or if the system is stolen. Once you enter the Master Password, it is cached in memory, so that you do not need to reenter it over and over again. Master Password remains cached as long as RoboForm remains in memory. You can flush the master password from memory. See the tutorial for this and other details.
Password Generator – There is a very powerful password generator included with RoboForm
Only you can decide how far you want to go with this hiding your passwords thing. If you are one of the 80 percent of computer users out there who do not have Antivirus,
Firewall, Anti-Pfishing, and other protective products already on your computer I highly recommend that you start there and then go for the added protection that RoboForm gives after securing your system with those.
With over 8,000,000 downloads RoboForm has won more awards than can be listed here. It is a great tool for those who have many passwords to remember as well as people who enter contests or just need to fill out online forms. I will continue to use it on my Notebook and report back as to my experience with it. The best part is the price. A basic copy of RoboForm is free to individual users. You can do as I do and start slow or dive in head first and use all the available options. Either way I think you’ll like it!
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