Switzerland-based cybersecurity company, Proton, has expanded its range of services with the launch of Proton Pass, a secure password manager with what the company claims is a “more complete encryption model” than its competitors. Proton Pass is the latest addition to Proton’s suite of secure services, which includes ProtonMail, an encrypted email service, and a VPN.
Proton Pass was developed mainly by the team behind SimpleLogin, an email alias company that Proton acquired last year. The password manager features a 32-byte random vault key that only the user can access, an additional level of encryption at the item level, and the same sharing securities tested on the company’s calendar and drive systems. Usernames, websites, and emails can all be encrypted alongside newly created email aliases and notes — none of which the company can access.
Proton is an “open-source company,” meaning anyone can inspect if its systems work as described. Proton Pass enters the market after LastPass, a popular password manager, was hacked last year, with bad actors accessing sensitive information like customer meta-data and third-party integration secrets.
According to Andy Yen, Proton’s founder and CEO, the company has always been concerned about the risk of a major password manager breach, which unfortunately became a reality with the recent LastPass hack. Proton Pass is currently only available in beta form for lifetime and visionary Proton plan members. The eligible customers will receive an email to their Proton Mail account in the coming week. The company plans to launch Proton Pass publicly later this year.
