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Vaultwarden

Vaultwarden is an open-source, self-hosted alternative to the popular password manager Bitwarden. It's written in Rust and aims to provide a secure, and customizable solution for password management.

Features

Self-Hosting Capabilities, Vaultwarden allows users to host their own password management server, providing complete control over data storage and security. This is particularly appealing to those concerned about privacy and data sovereignty.

Users can fine-tune server settings, including database choices, backup schedules, and logging levels. The ability to customize these aspects allows for a tailored experience that meets specific organizational or individual needs. Data Location Control is an aspect of self-hosting, as users have the choice to choose where their data is stored, whether on local hardware or cloud infrastructure. This level of control is important for compliance with data protection regulations and internal security policies.

Customization extends beyond data storage. Users can modify the server's appearance and functionality to match their specific needs. This might include branding the interface with company logos or adjusting the user experience to align with existing workflows. The self-hosted nature of Vaultwarden also allows for easy scaling as user needs grow. Organizations can start small and expand their infrastructure as demand increases, without being locked into a third-party provider's pricing tiers or limitations.

Data Persistence

Vaultwarden uses a SQLite database by default to store encrypted password data. This database can be backed up and migrated, ensuring data durability.

While SQLite is the default option, Vaultwarden also supports PostgreSQL for larger deployments. This flexibility allows organizations to choose the database solution that best fits their needs and existing infrastructure. Built-in support for database backups, including automated scheduled backups, ensures that data is protected against loss. Users can configure backup frequency and retention policies to match their data protection requirements.

Data Migration tools and procedures are available for moving data between different Vaultwarden instances or from other password managers. This feature is good for organizations transitioning from other solutions or merging multiple instances. Encryption at Rest is implemented for the database, providing an additional layer of security for stored data. This means that even if an attacker gains access to the raw database files, the information remains protected.

Web Vault Interface

The software includes a web-based interface for managing passwords and other sensitive information. This web vault can be enabled or disabled based on user preferences.

Responsive Design esnures the web interface works well on both desktop and mobile devices, providing a consistent user experience across platforms. Customizable Themes allow users to choose from different visual styles or create their own to personalize the interface. This feature can be particularly useful for organizations looking to maintain brand consistency.

A built-in Password Generator with customizable options for length and character types helps users create strong, unique passwords for each account. Folder Organization capabilities allow users to organize entries into folders and subfolders for better management of large numbers of credentials. Search Functionality enables users to quickly find stored information, even in large vaults with thousands of entries.

Attachment Support allows users to attach files to entries, with configurable size limits. This feature can be useful for storing related documents or additional information alongside passwords.

Secure Sharing

Vaultwarden supports secure sharing of passwords and documents between users. This feature can be particularly useful for families or small teams.

Granular Permissions allow administrators to set specific access levels for shared items, such as read-only or edit permissions. This helps level of access they need. Time-Limited Sharing options enable users to set expiration dates for shared items, automatically revoking access after a specified period.

Sharing Revocation gives users the ability to manually revoke access to shared items at any time, providing an additional layer of control. Detailed Audit Logs of sharing activities are maintained for security monitoring, allowing administrators to track who has accessed shared information and when.

Emergency Access

An important feature of Vaultwarden is the ability to set up emergency access for trusted individuals. This is so critical information remains accessible in unforeseen circumstances

Configurable Wait Time allows users to set a customizable delay before emergency access is granted, providing a window for the primary user to respond to or cancel the request if it's not actually an emergency. Granular Control over emergency access lets users specify which parts of the vault are accessible in an emergency, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected.

A Notification System alerts the primary user when emergency access is requested, keeping them informed of potential access to their vault. A Revocation Mechanism allows primary users to revoke emergency access at any time, maintaining control over their data even in exceptional circumstances.

Security Consideration

Vaultwarden requires HTTPS to secure communication between the client and server.

Certificate Management is simplified with support for Let's Encrypt, enabling automatic SSL/TLS certificate provisioning and renewal. This is so that secure connections are always available without manual intervention. HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) can be enabled for enhanced security, preventing downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking.

TLS Version Control allows administrators to specify minimum TLS versions for connections, so that outdated and insecure protocols are not used. Cipher Suite Configuration gives users the ability to specify allowed cipher suites, providing fine-grained control over the encryption algorithms used in secure connections.

Encryption

All data stored in Vaultwarden is encrypted using strong cryptographic algorithms.

End-to-End Encryption maks sure that data is encrypted on the client side before being sent to the server. This means that even if the server is compromised, the attacker cannot access unencrypted user data. Key Derivation uses PBKDF2 with configurable iteration counts, allowing users to balance security and performance based on their specific needs.

AES-256 in CBC mode is used for symmetric encryption, while RSA is employed for asymmetric encryption. These industry-standard algorithms provide robust protection for user data. The Zero-Knowledge Architecture means that the server never has access to unencrypted user data or master passwords, so that even the server administrators cannot access user information.

Access Control

Vaultwarden supports access control mechanisms, allowing users to manage who can access their vault and what actions they can perform.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) allows administrators to define custom roles with specific permissions, enabling fine-grained control over user access. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) support includes various methods such as TOTP, U2F, and YubiKey, adding an extra layer of security to user accounts.

IP Allowlisting capabilities restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges, providing an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access attempts. Failed Login Attempt Limiting with configurable thresholds helps prevent brute-force attacks by temporarily locking out accounts after a certain number of failed attempts.

Detailed Session Management gives users control over session durations and the ability to terminate active sessions. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining security on shared or public devices.

FOSS Benefits

As a free and open-source software, Vaultwarden offers several benefits that helps its security, functionality, and community engagement.

Code Auditing is facilitated by the open nature of the project, allowing for community-driven security reviews that can identify and address potential vulnerabilities. Extensibility is a key advantage, as users can create plugins or extensions to add functionality that meets their specific needs.

Community-driven Localization efforts make Vaultwarden accessible in multiple languages. The open-source model enables Rapid Bug Fixes, as the community can quickly identify and address issues without waiting for a centralized development team.

Users can directly contribute to the development roadmap through Feature Requests and code contributions, so that the software evolves to meet the needs of its user base.

Deployment on the Open Internet

When deploying Vaultwarden on the open internet, several precautions should be taken to make sure the security and reliability of the system.

Reverse Proxy Setup using tools like Nginx or Traefik can provide additional security layers and load balancing capabilities. This setup can help manage traffic, improve performance, and add an extra layer of protection against certain types of attacks.

Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) helps protect against common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other OWASP Top 10 threats. Rate Limiting should be configured to prevent abuse and protect against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

Regular Security Audits of the server and application configuration are essential to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. These audits should cover all aspects of the deployment, from network configuration to application settings.

Backup Encryption is important to ensure that backups are protected even if they fall into the wrong hands. Backups should be stored securely, preferably off-site, to guard against data loss due to hardware failure or physical disasters.

An Incident Response Plan should be developed and maintained to guide actions in the event of a security breach. This plan should outline steps for containment, eradication, and recovery, as well as communication protocols.

Network Segmentation can help isolate the Vaultwarden server from other services, limiting potential attack vectors and containing the impact of any successful breach. Continuous Monitoring solutions should be implemented to detect and alert on suspicious activities, enabling rapid response to potential security threats.

Addressing these aspects, users can create a good, secure, and highly customized password management system with Vaultwarden, leveraging its open-source nature and extensive feature set to meet their specific needs while maintaining the highest levels of security.

You can check it out here: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden