this post was submitted on 01 May 2024
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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.

Available for iOS and Android

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[–] cyrus@sopuli.xyz 155 points 6 months ago (13 children)

To those that are confused about this:

Bitwarden does indeed handle TOTP directly in the password manager, but only on paid accounts and only logged in.

This is a completely offline app, separate from your existing Bitwarden account, that is entirely free.

It might serve as an alternative to e.g Aegis to some.

[–] revv@lemmy.blahaj.zone 33 points 6 months ago (11 children)

Is there a good reason I don't know about to prefer this over Aegis?

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 50 points 6 months ago (5 children)

No, they're both ostensibly open source and standalone. I'm an avid Bitwarden Free user, but Aegis has been my go-to for a long time.

If it's a standalone completely offline app, like Aegis, I'm at a loss to what they could offer that is any different than what Aegis already offers.

[–] cyrus@sopuli.xyz 18 points 6 months ago (2 children)

If you look at the roadmap they have in the blogpost, they are apparently planning tighter integration with the existing bitwarden suite

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 6 months ago (3 children)

...but wouldn't that undermine the fact that it's standalone and offline?

[–] cyrus@sopuli.xyz 11 points 6 months ago

The idea is that it can then work both says, like https://ente.io/auth does

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago

Sand the fact that it's a 2fa. A thicker integration with bitwarden would make it like a 1.5fa

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[–] MiguelX413@pleroma.miguelcr.me 16 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Reading these comments, it feels like Aegis became the standard without me noticing.

[–] laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Reading these comments I feel like I'm completely out of the loop because I've never even heard of Aegis

[–] emzili@programming.dev 8 points 6 months ago

It doesn't get a whole lot of attention but it's the most mature open source authenticator app and one of the first ones you would find in fdroid. With that said, there's nothing really standout about it or its features, it just works.

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[–] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 6 months ago

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.

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[–] chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de 32 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

with full Internet access (As shown in Aurora Store)

Thanks but I pass, I'd rather use Aegis that doesn't need internet connection at all.

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[–] LucidNightmare@lemmy.world 24 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Thank goodness! I can finally get the hell away from Authy!

[–] bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 6 months ago (5 children)
[–] bigkahuna1986@lemmy.ml 31 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Not open source, and I believe an account is required.

[–] ADTJ 22 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Also doesn't allow you to export so you can't switch to another service

[–] nexas_XIII@lemm.ee 7 points 6 months ago

Also they have weird behind the scenes integrations into accounts even if they are just supposed to be regular 2FA. You can read stories about Twitch not playing well with other 2FA until 30 days after you remove Authy. I don’t want those kind of shadow integrations and I should be allowed to switch apps as I see fit

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[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 7 points 6 months ago

And twilio, the parent company has been hacked before

[–] LucidNightmare@lemmy.world 22 points 6 months ago

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. :)

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 13 points 6 months ago

I use Aegis and it works well. FOSS and easy to use.

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[–] Concave1142@lemmy.world 19 points 6 months ago (10 children)

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.

[–] brrt@sh.itjust.works 8 points 6 months ago (3 children)

And where would you store your Bitwarden login TOTP if you used their service instead of self hosting?

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[–] clgoh@lemmy.ca 15 points 6 months ago

Great. Now I have to make the effort of migrating from Authy.

[–] capital@lemmy.world 15 points 6 months ago

Glad these were answered:

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.

[–] penquin@lemm.ee 14 points 6 months ago (8 children)

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 🤦🏽‍♂️

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 12 points 6 months ago (10 children)

Do backups kids. :)

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.

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[–] thoralf@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 6 months ago (5 children)

After Authy scrapped its support for the desktop client, I’m looking for an alternative. Sadly, this does not look like it.

[–] clgoh@lemmy.ca 8 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Sadly, this does not look like it.

Why?

[–] thoralf@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I do not see a desktop client.

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[–] cyrus@sopuli.xyz 7 points 6 months ago

Ente.io is working on a desktop app. Whilst its experimental, you can get it from the releases page on their github

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[–] rolling_resistance@lemmy.world 13 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Just like in the password manager, they ignored HOTP. Oh well.

[–] UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world 9 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 16 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

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)
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[–] n0x0n@feddit.de 12 points 6 months ago (4 children)

OK, so one TOTP app more. What’s this one doing better than all the others like 2FAS?

[–] pressanykeynow@lemmy.world 15 points 6 months ago (1 children)

one TOTP app more

You say this as a bad thing.

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[–] Spendrill@lemm.ee 8 points 6 months ago

KeePassXC can do this as well. I had no idea until I saw a post on here where someone mentioned it. Here's the documentation.

[–] scytale@lemm.ee 8 points 6 months ago (5 children)

Nice! I currently have a couple of services on MS Authenticator that I can migrate over.

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