Yesterday I signed up for the PassPack Password Manager service and I learned about a whole new level of data security.  But before I continue, if you’re going to sign up for PassPack here’s an important tip:

Sign up in a place where nobody else is around and keep a pad of paper handy! This is just to record your information initially. Maybe your memory is better than mine, but I forgot my "unpack" key soon after I first signed up for the PassPack password manager (it’s actually much more than just a password manager).

From their site:

"Passpack does not maintain a copy of your Packing Key and can not recover it, nor your Entries, if it is lost."

Also important is this notice from PassPack’s "Terms and Conditions" page:

"Furthermore it is forbidden to store critical data such as, but not limited to, financial data or access data to financial institutions, or any data which, if lost, stolen or destroyed, could result in personal or public catastrophe."

Click here to view PassPack’s full Terms and Conditions.

I’m planning to discuss some impressive data security measures HyperOffice has in place, including employee-based security measures (and the legal ramifications for HyperOffice employees if the don’t follow the measures which is actually the most important part of a policy like that) but for now I just want to discuss PassPack’s security algorithm which is based on the Advanced Encryption Standard which is an algorithm approved by the National Security Agency for protecting top secret information.

Right now you can store up to 100 passwords for free but as of 6/30/2008 you can upgrade for free and then the first paid upgrade will be at about $10.00 per year and will include some features that PassPack isn’t disclosing yet.

Click here to visit the PassPack blog here to keep tabs on current developments and news.