CNET Editors' review
The bottom line: Effective, secure, and easy to use, LastPass offers a broad base of password-management features for free that can be expanded when upgrading to the premium version. It's an essential add-on for modern Web browsing.
Review:
Passwords have gotten so complicated that even people with ferociously sharp memories can struggle to recall the eccentric combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols. There are passwords for personal e-mail, work e-mail, bank accounts, Twitter, and Facebook, and woe to anybody who uses the same one for those two malware magnets. On top of that, it's recommended that you regularly change your passwords so they don't get compromised. Passwords are a pain, but LastPass slices through the Gordian knot of password management with a deft and effective cross-platform browser add-on.
Installation:
Installing LastPass is straightforward, except that you can choose between the universal installer or browser-specific add-ons. The easiest option is the universal installer, which will work with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome on Windows. Mac users will have to download individual add-ons for each browser.
LastPass takes the pain out of passwords
After creating a LastPass account and master password, which is used to access your password list, LastPass will ask to suck up all your passwords into its cloud-based, AES-256-encrypted servers. This key aspect of LastPass, the cloud-based storage, is then followed by an option to remove all your locally stored passwords. This prevents them from being compromised after you've begun using LastPass, although it also means that you will be tied to LastPass from that point. You can always export your passwords later, although after using the add-on for more than a year we've had no problems.
Interface:
After installing, restart your browser and you'll see a gray or red box icon on your browser's toolbar. Red indicates you're logged in, while gray indicates you're not. Once logged in, you can visit LastPass' spreadsheet layout of your passwords with one click. This is called your "password vault," and while it's navigable, it could use some tweaking, too.
You can organize your passwords into folders and groups, you're told up front how long ago the password was last used, and there are quick links to Edit, Share, and Delete the password. A search field at the top will automatically search through URL and username. You cannot search by password.
A list of global actions such as settings, import and export, history, and manually adding sites lives on the left of the password list. To the right is a short list of options to be used when you select a password, currently limited to share, delete, and change group. At the top of the interface are tabbed options for managing your form-fill profiles, identities, shares, and applications.
Much of the add-on's heavy lifting happens in editing windows that open on top of your vault, but are not separate browser windows. This includes individual password editing and configuring, and changing LastPass' settings. The separate window is understandable for security purposes, but it detracts from the overall experience as an overlay.
Features and support:
LastPass offers a shocking number of features. The free version will be more than enough for most users, while upgrading to the premium version will get you LastPass for mobile devices and browsers, remove ads from your vault, provide priority e-mail and phone support, and give you multifactor authentication. This heightened level of security requires you to use a YubiKey or USB key in conjunction with your LastPass master password to gain access to your vault.
Basic and premium users alike will get LastPass' deep array of password-management tools. It will auto-detect username and password form fields. If it has the credentials for the page you're visiting, it will ask you to fill in the info. You can also set LastPass to automatically fill in credentials, or even automatically log in. When you visit a site that you're creating new credentials for, it will ask if you'd like it to create a password for you. Via the vault, you can change the default level of security for generated passwords. It will also detect when you've changed the password for a site that's already saved, and ask you if you'd like to change the saved version.
From within the Settings option in the vault, you can change your master password, configure the vault auto-log-off time, change the default security level to one of three presets or customize a fourth, and manage equivalent domains and URL rules for sites with more than one log-in.
While LastPass can be used solely from its Web site, and provides a virtual keyboard so you don't have to worry about a keylogger swiping your master password, some key features come only with the add-on. One of these is the on-the-fly creation of a one-time password, and there are others. The add-on menu shows you a list of recently used passwords, and allows you to copy credentials to your clipboard without revealing them first, fill forms, manage secure notes, customize hot keys, and change the LastPass icons.
It doesn't skimp on password tweaks, and that's a good thing.
Performance:
Measuring add-on performance is notoriously difficult, although Internet Explorer 9 Beta did note that LastPass only slowed down the browser's boot time by 0.16 seconds. The default threshold for warning the user about add-on performance impact in IE9 Beta is 0.2 seconds or slower. Google Chrome dev 9.0.587.0 put LastPass' memory usage at 14MB of RAM, high for an add-on. Browsing with the add-on versus without it revealed no noticeable slow-downs on a daily use computer.
Conclusion:
Password security and management have long been a deficient part of any browsing experience, and LastPass solves that problem while also making your passwords accessible anywhere. Cross-platform, cross-browser, and secure with a hefty range of options, this is the gold standard for password management.
Watch the CNET video review of LastPass Password Manager:
Publisher's Description
From LastPass:
LastPass is the last password you will ever need. It allows you to: Create strong passwords, knowing you only have to remember one. LastPass has addons for: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari (for Mac), Google Chrome, and works with other browsers with Bookmarklets (e.g. Opera). LastPass uses Host Proof Hosting techniques to synchronize your passwords all while LastPass never has access to your sensitive data. LastPass offers a premium upgrade as well for mobile access on iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Google Android, Palm webOS, and Symbian phones.
What's new in this version: Version 1.90 adds new functions, such as pulling Wifi passwords and saving them as note types. This version also brings a number of fixes, including adding Canary Islands as a form fill location, fingerprint reader detection, and issues with sharing version numbers via extensions.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 228 votes
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Current version:
4.5 starsout of 17 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Not like Norton Identity Safe"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
Annually cheap at any price (Pro version)
Cons
Changing the listing of logins/sites (if their are many) in the drop-down menu is NOT user-0changeable; like alphabetic forward/revers, by date of last or first use, etc. Needs to fixed, and hasnt for years.
Summary
"This key aspect of LastPass, the cloud-based storage, is then followed by an option to remove all your locally stored passwords. This prevents them from being compromised after you've begun using LastPass, although it also means that you will be tied to LastPass from that point. You can always export your passwords later, although after using the add-on for more than a year we've had no problems."
No. Lastpass is asking if you want to delete the OLD Username/passwords IT HAS JUST IMPORTED FROM OTHER BROWSERS. Lastpass is NOT asking if you want to delete YOUR local copy of LASTPASS's just-now encrypted passwords, ONLY the ones it IMPORTED, like from SeaMonkey or FireFox or whatever.
Got Tools/Security Check - this gives you a VERY easy way to find and re-manage duplicates. I have over 1000 sites managed, and the check took 20 seconds - and I have some work to do! -
"Is this safe?"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
I use Roboform and decided to use lastpass free version to see what it has to offer. I like the password wallet app and i also like two step authentication, which RF does not have.
Cons
I don't like the fact that I can request to reset my master password. If someone hacks in my email they can get my lastpass info sent to my email address and reset my master password and have access to all of my information that easily!
Summary
Id rather stick with a password manager that doesnt know your master password because the fact that it can be reset makes me uneasy and i dont know if i can sleep at night with all my bank info and logins being that easy to access.
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"Best PW manager yet."
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
1. Same password manager for all my devices (PC's and smartphone)and 3 different browsers.
2. Autofill works well.
3. I only have to enter the information once for all password-dependent applications.Cons
I just added the smartphone app and it works differently and I haven't been able to figure it out. I don't use it that much on my smartphone that much but I can see that it would be very handy if you are using a computer not on your personal computers which eliminates the need for a flash drive which is also a security issue.
Summary
In the past, I've used Password Corral and Password Safe. Password Corral was the first password manager I'd used. Before that, like most SysAdmins used a little memo pad to manually keep track of passwords. I use Windows mostly now - Solaris & Linux in the past so there are alot of choices. While Windows itself can manage passwords as well, we all know how secure that is!!
Password Safe is the one that I've used the most but the biggest irritant with that is when you use more than 1 PC, you have to keep a separate Password Safe on each PC which is a pain if you want to sync it. -
"Works just as described"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
Keeps track of passwords with some flexibility with what to keep and what not to keep, as well as being very unobtrusive with a small footprint.
Cons
if you're looking for a password vault that displays your passwords and lets you edit and such like a database, then this is not what you're going to need.
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"Excellent Product!"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
It does everything that Norton Secure Identity
Cons
None so far...
Summary
...Everything that Norton Secure identity does!
Updated on May 4, 2012 -
"Excellent Time Saver"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
Saves a lot of time with password look ups and submissions
Works well
Can be configuredCons
Keeps popping up requests when there doesn't appear to be anything to save. Not a big deal.
Summary
Well worthwhile
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"The Best Password Manager Out There!!!"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
Using only one password to access all others.
Generating secure passwords for you.
Great support from the LastPass team.Cons
Absoultely NONE
Summary
I have used this program going on two years and I really love it. I hate having to come up with new passwords for everything I do online. With LastPass Password Manager I don't ever have to worry about that again. I can make the passwords as strong as needed with the advanced feature. Also when you have a website remembered with the program it logs you in automatically. How much better can it get??
Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone that needs that extra security from remembering strong password... -
"Not too easy to use"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
Obviously, you can hide your login ID and passwords.
Cons
Not easy to use. I am still trying to figure it out.
Summary
Better than going naked, I suppose.
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"Excellent Program!!"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
LastPass is much better then Roboform! For one, they are not greedy like Roboform. Second, LastPass recognizes more forms to fill than Roboform. LastPass has worked flawless since I first downloaded it, and it's the free version!
Cons
The only con that I can see is that it stores your passwords online. To me, that seems kind of risky, but that just me. I guess it's a risk either way, rather it's stored online or on your computer where a hacker might get in or even a keylogger.
Summary
I works great! It's free! Most importantly, it's very secure!! I highly recommend this program!!!
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"Works Great with peace of mind"
Version: LastPass Password Manager 1.90
Pros
1.Generates passwords for you in any style needed,
2.No need to use only one password
3.Your LassPass Manager can be used on all your computer systems
4.For extra comfort you can print out all passwords in case computer crashes but still is kept in the cloud.
5.Help service has been great to resolve any issues
6.FREE program for the best security for the moneyCons
Some sites that pop-up extra menu to log-on doesn't input your password but only a small percent of sites.
Summary
Have used other password managers but always came back to LassPass and would recommend to friends and family.
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