Splash ID (https://splashid.com/) is password manager that I had used for years and have been very satisfied with the software. Now they are also jumping into the cloud in the hopes for continued revenue stream in the form of subscriptions. I don’t have an issue with that, but what really ticked me off was the forced update and forced subscription to continue to access my existing data on my mobile device.
I had been using this software with a desktop version that would sync with my mobile app on iOS. Then one fine day I realized the mobile app got updated without any warning or an option to prevent this automatic update. The updated software now forces the user to buy a subscription and does not let the user access the existing stored data. It was a forced update and changed the initial use policy to which I agreed when I purchased the app in the first place long time ago. Now the update doesn’t let me access my existing critical data. To me it seems like a ransomware where the user is locked out of their data, unless you pay to subscribe. I had written to the CEO of the Splash ID – Morgan Slain who has not responded to my e-mail. I think this is an unethical practice by this software company who does not provide an option to stay with the current usage policy of their software and forcing people to update and demanding a subscription to continue using the existing data stored in their application which was purchased without having to subscribe.
My personal opinion is to stay away from password managers that store data in the cloud in the name of convenience. Your data will be much safer on your desktop/laptop with local sync than putting all your password data remotely and avoid paying for the ransomware like subscription forever.
Checkout the free desktop password manager KeePaas http://keepass.info/ which I will be migrating to. It also has paid companion mobile apps that would help sync the data between the desktop version and mobile version.
Update – I tried KeepPass Touch as a the iOS mobile companion that can sync locally over Wi Fi with your Free Desktop version of KeePass database file and carry your latest KeePass DB on the go. It is worth 0.99 to remove the ad for usage. Finally got rid of the Splash ID ransomware.
Personal Computing - Decentralized 