Is there an equivalent of the OS X Keychain, used to store user passwords, in Windows? I would use it to save the user's password for a web service that my (desktop) software uses.
From the answers to this related question (Protecting user passwords in desktop applications (Rev 2)) and the multitude of third party password storage tools available, I assume that such a thing doesn't exist-- Am I stuck with either asking for the password each time I access the web service, or just storing it obfuscated?
A free and open source password manager that keeps all of your passwords safe in one place is "KeePass" and alternative to Windows Credential Manager.
Credential dumping on Windows, even with "Credential Manager" is still an issue, and I don't think there is any way to prevent it outside of special hardware. MacOS keychain doesn't have this problem and so I don't think there is an exact equivalent.
Actually, looking through MSDN, the functions they recommend using (instead of Protected Storage) are:
CryptProtectDataCryptUnprotectDataThe link for CryptProtectData is at CryptProtectData function.
If you are on windows got to control pannel -> windows Credentials
OS X keychain equivalent is Credential Manager in windows.
Actually, looking through MSDN, the functions they recommend using (instead of Protected Storage) are:
CryptProtectDataCryptUnprotectDataThe link for CryptProtectData is at CryptProtectData function.
Windows 8 has a notion of a keychain called Password Vault. Windows Runtime apps (Modern/Metro) as well as managed desktop apps can make use of it. According to the documentation:
Apps and services don't have access to credentials associated with other apps or services.
See How to store user credentials on MSDN.
Pre-Windows 8, Data Protection API (DPAPI) is the closest equivalent to a keychain. Arbitrary data can be encrypted using this API, although storing the encrypted data is up to the developer. The data is ultimately encrypted using the current user's password, however user or developer supplied "optional entropy" could be included to further protect the data from other software or users. The data can also be decrypted on different computers in a domain.
DPAPI can be accessed through native calls to Crypt32.dll's CryptProtectData and CryptUnprotectData functions or through .NET Framework's ProtectedData class, which is a limited feature wrapper for the former functions.
More information than you ever needed to know about DPAPI is available in Passcape's article DPAPI Secrets. Security analysis and data recovery in DPAPI.
OS X keychain equivalent is Credential Manager in windows.
Credential dumping on Windows, even with "Credential Manager" is still an issue, and I don't think there is any way to prevent it outside of special hardware. MacOS keychain doesn't have this problem and so I don't think there is an exact equivalent.
If you are on windows got to control pannel -> windows Credentials
It is year 2018, and Windows 10 has a "Credential Manager" that can be found in "Control Panel"
Windows 8 has a notion of a keychain called Password Vault. Windows Runtime apps (Modern/Metro) as well as managed desktop apps can make use of it. According to the documentation:
Apps and services don't have access to credentials associated with other apps or services.
See How to store user credentials on MSDN.
Pre-Windows 8, Data Protection API (DPAPI) is the closest equivalent to a keychain. Arbitrary data can be encrypted using this API, although storing the encrypted data is up to the developer. The data is ultimately encrypted using the current user's password, however user or developer supplied "optional entropy" could be included to further protect the data from other software or users. The data can also be decrypted on different computers in a domain.
DPAPI can be accessed through native calls to Crypt32.dll's CryptProtectData and CryptUnprotectData functions or through .NET Framework's ProtectedData class, which is a limited feature wrapper for the former functions.
More information than you ever needed to know about DPAPI is available in Passcape's article DPAPI Secrets. Security analysis and data recovery in DPAPI.
It is year 2018, and Windows 10 has a "Credential Manager" that can be found in "Control Panel"
Source: Stackoverflow.com