Bitwarden is a password manager open source that helps users securely store and manage all their credentials. It is a complete solution designed to be simple to use and highly secure. It can be installed independently on site but several are also available cloud plans for a fee, dedicated to all those who prefer to use a “ready to use” solution.
The latest innovation consists in the release of Bitwarden Authenticator, a free application for Android and iOS devices that allows you to manage two-factor authentication. The application generates OTP codes (One-time Password) for all the services that support them: in this way the user’s mobile device becomes a secure tool for confirming their identity when accessing any online platform.
Specifically, Bitwarden Authenticator takes advantage of the system TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password): the generated code is temporary and has a short expiry date. The generation algorithm, in fact, takes into account the current time and a secret key shared between the server and the user’s device.
What Bitwarden Authenticator is and how it works
Compared to more well-known names, such as Google Authenticator e Microsoft Authenticatorseveral open source alternatives for two-factor authentication are available today. Aegis it is undoubtedly one of the most appreciated.
Bitwarden Authenticator, leveraging widely used standards such as TOTP, can also work perfectly anywhere. And to use it you don’t even need to own a account Bitwarden. The app for Android and iOS is in fact completely autonomous.
The application can generate TOTP for all online services that support two-factor authentication, including Bitwarden Password Manager. The backup the configuration of Bitwarden Authenticator, with all the keys managed, is instead left to the operating system.
For the rest, the application still appears a little immature: several are missing advanced features widely offered by other software in its category.
The developers confirm that Bitwarden Authenticator will soon be enriched with a import2FA based on push notifications, account recovery, Bitwarden account synchronization and vault.
Being an open source project, the code of the iOS and Android versions is available within repository GitHub public. Those interested in taking a look at the code can find it here for the iOS version and here for the Android app.