KI 3440 Linux @ UiB - Password managers

2026-07-21 (updated 2026-07-28)

It is generally a good idea to have a system-wide password manager, at the very least for the may not so essential accounts. UiB IT deliberately does not choose a standard application, but leaves the choice to its users. Password managers have been hacked. It is much better if people choose from a range of options than giving attackers a single point of entry to UiB systems.

Bitwarden

The most integrated password manager for Linux, however run by a US American company:
https://bitwarden.com/

1Password

The Canadian alternative. Has quite a large footprint under Linux, but works well.
https://1password.com

Follow the instructions found on https://1password.com/downloads/linux "More ways to install..."
Follow the instructions for Debian and Ubuntu. This will require sudo/root privileges.

Downloading the Debian (.deb) package is NOT recommended as you will receive no updates.

Please note that it will NOT autofill passwords in web browsers that run in a sandbox.
If you install 1 Password on your own Ubuntu 26 LTS system, you will find that firefox is installed as a snap running in its own sandbox.

To install firefox without sandbox, do the following:
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-firefox-without-snap-on-ubuntu-26-04
Note that UiB Linux uses standalone firefox, so the following code is only needed on private machines

sudo snap remove firefox
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/ppa
sudo apt install firefox-esr
# create preference file so that firefox is NOT re-installed as a snap by the system:
sudo bash -c 'cat > /etc/apt/preferences.d/firefox-no-snap << EOF
Package: firefox*
Pin: release o=Ubuntu*
Pin-Priority: -1
EOF'

Other password managers

Dashlane and Proton, to name a few European companies, have password managers of their own.