Storing 2FA codes is just the beginning. Bitwarden aims to add defense in depth to authentication.
Bitwarden Authenticator is a standalone app that is available for everyone, even non-Bitwarden customers.
In its current release, Bitwarden Authenticator generates time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) for users who want to add an extra layer of 2FA security to their logins.
There is a comprehensive roadmap planned with additional functionality.
I used to use Aegis, but after setting up my own vaultwarden, I use the normal bitwarden app/plugin on all my systems for passwords and TOTP.
The advantages are that I don't need my phone to login, the keys are synced and backuped in the encrypted vaultwarden database, which I can then handle with normal server backup tools. It still works offline, because bitwarden app caches the password.
This is IMO much more convenient and secure (in a way that loosing access to a device doesn't shut you out, and you don't need to trust third parties) then most other solutions.
At this moment Aegis is far superior to bitwarden auth. But it looks promising.
I really like the ability to "sideload" the icons for the codes and automatic encrypted backups to cloud storages.
I haven't been entirely happy with Bitwarden for other reasons. You can't self host and share with one other person without paying them $40/year. Their advertising is deceptive, because they say you can do both for free. But that one or the other, not both.
You also can't easily share individual passkeys outside of the app. If you want to grab a passkey, you have to export your entire vault.*
It's basically annoyance-ware.
* note that sharing passkeys is not best practice, but there are use cases.
As others have said vaultwarden is the solution here. It is free, you can manage multiple vaults, totp is free. All the platform bit warden apps & plugins work with it. Supposedly it is leaner and easier to set up. Don't know for sure because it is all I have used.
For shared passwords, I have a family vault where I put my streaming pws and such and everyone has access without having to share my personal vault.
it's basically just a shared random number generator on a timer (it's slightly smarter than that but that's the gist), so as long as you know the start time, the current time and the starting point for the RNG, both parties can get the same result without having to ever communicate
I guess for me, it being closed-source and the fact that the Bitwarden password manager and now Bitwarden authenticator are open source. Truthfully, I just see how they handled the desktop version of their Authy software, giving no fucks if consumers wanted it or not, being a big red flag of what could come after. Having used Bitwarden for years now, and giving them $10 a year, makes me more biased and inclined to use their other software, since they've never let me down. :)
Correct me if I am wrong, but the Bitwarden client itself already does this. I store several of my TOTP's in my self hosted Vaultwarden/Bitwarden install.
Security-wise it’s not a good idea to keep passwords and 2FA codes in the same client as it then becomes a single point of failure. A standalone authenticator app resolves that as long as it’s not unlocked with the same master password. A standalone app also opens a venue for non-BW customers to get on their platform.
Isn't this the same as storing TOTP authentication codes in Bitwarden Password Manager?
Integrated TOTP authentication is a premium feature in Bitwarden Password Manager. Bitwarden Authenticator is a standalone mobile app that generates TOTP codes for any online service that supports them. Bitwarden Authenticator can be used without a Bitwarden account.
Should I use both? When should I use the integrated authentication feature? When should I use Bitwarden Authenticator?
Integrated authentication in Bitwarden Password Manager offers a convenient way for users to add 2FA to their online accounts. This popular feature will remain available across paid plans.
Bitwarden Authenticator can be used to store your verification codes to access your Bitwarden account, as well as other online applications you use.
They can be used together, or separately, depending on your security preferences.
Does this save to my cloud account with them or is it only local? I got screwed over by Aegis (my fault) when I got a new phone and forgot to back up Aegis and lost a lot of my logins. Some of them I can't get unless I call the company and verify it's me 🤦🏽♂️
I actually keep an authenticator app on my desktop, so I always have two places for everything. Aegis on my phone and "Authenticator" on my Linux desktop.
I use Authenticator on Linux. I'm not sure what OS you use, but perhaps there's another, TOTP is a pretty easy protocol to implement (it's basically just a hash of a key and timestamp).
HOTP is an HMAC-based OTP, whereas TOTP is a time-based OTP. Basically, this is how each works:
HOTP - based on a key + a counter, which increments with each code generated
TOTP - based on a key + time, so you get a new key every N seconds
TOTP is quite common and honestly is all I use, whereas HOTP may be more common in certain enterprises. Main criticisms:
HOTP - longer time window for a key to be valid for the entire time between logins (i.e. potentially easier to brute force)
TOTP - less user-friendly due to the time window; also, you just need a clock, you don't need to know the counter value (if someone gets the key, they can generate keys whenever)
Yeah, they're are a few open source TOTP apps that seem pretty interchangeable. I use Authenticator Pro because it has a Wear OS integration that is handy if you have a smart watch.
Microsoft's Authenticator app is AWFUL. Just one example - there is a setting to backup to iCloud, but when you try to enable it, it demands you add a secondary (personal) Microsoft account.
4-5 TOTP apps? So far, when, e.g. Microsoft or Google have insisted use of their own Authenticator app is required, it’s worked fine for me using Ente Auth or similar just by entering the code / QR.
Yup, most 2FA is just TOTP, which is a pretty simple, open standard and is hardware independent. All you need is a key (the QR code or the numbers) and access to a reliable time source and you can make a TOTP app on anything.
I use Aegis on my phone and Authenticator on Linux (some GTK app), and they both produce identical codes for the same key.
This even works with some apps that hide the standard part - like Symantec VIP - it’s possible to extract what they are doing and use a standard TOTP app instead of VIP.
Exactly, from a security perspective, it's a bad idea to put 2 factor tokens together with your passwords. You effectively eliminate the security benefit that 2 factor provides if you do because if people get into your password manager, they have everything they need to access your accounts. The only people it "helps" having it all in one app are people who don't understand the purpose of 2 factor and just see it as an inconvenience when services force it on them. Even though I use BitWarden for passwords, I don't think that I'll be changing from Aegis to BitWarden's stand-alone authenticator because Aegis is doing its job nicely.
It really depends on your threat model. It’s not a one size fits all thing.
For instance in some threat models you shouldn't have TOTP auth and passwords on the same device, let alone the same app, but the vast majority of people are not going to carry two devices because of how inconvenient it is.
Is there anything about Aegis that makes it better than Authy? Just looking at the page for Aegis, I'm not seeing a lot of difference. And it being Android only limits it.
You can use Authenticator Pro (android, opensesource) and Proton Pass, both let you copy the TOTP generation code to paste into another without problem. Both generate exact code
In fact that's how I am using them right now, with Authenticator Pro is my on-device, offline, encrypted backup offline backup TOTP for Pass.
I guess it is not as straight forward as export import as you hope, but it's not as bad as other options used to be.
As long as you can access the keys, you can swap authenticator apps.
I tried a few until I landed in Aegis, and I have two on my desktop that I'm trying out as well. Just get something that allows exporting the keys and there will be a path to switching apps.