Kee Vault and how it works

Kee Vault
1

Hi,
I have been trying out the Kee browser extension and using a KeepassRPC/KeePass combination . I have read through some of the initial posts in this KeeVault forum to understand how KeeVault operates . Can you clarify / confirm my understanding below ?

  1. Essentially KeeVault stores a copy of my KDBX file in its entirety ( rather than individual passwords) on the KeeVault servers
  2. The real advantage of using KeeVault is that it avoids having to manually synchronise the KDBX file across different computers.
  3. The Kee browser extension can connect natively (no need for KeePass RPC ) with a copy of the KeeVault KDBX file on my computer / phone etc which is why offline operation is possible.
  4. All encryption / decryption of the vault/kdbx file is done locally on my PC and all communication between my PC and KeeVault servers is encrypted using TLS?

I know it is a few years since KeeVault was first launched but I presume the project is still active. One thought that occurs to me - using KeeVault in a business environment probably requires a Data Processor Agreement (Article 28 of GDPR https://gdpr-info.eu/art-28-gdpr/ requires certain very specific clauses to be covered in any agreement). Is such available ( not just the privacy statement) ?

2

Hi,

Thanks for your questions.

That all sounds correct to me apart from perhaps a little technical detail in point 3: The Kee Vault mobile apps are what enable website and app sign-in on your phone. The Kee browser extension is only needed on desktop web browsers and then it still works using a similar process to the KeePassRPC KeePass plugin.

The difference is that the keevault.pm website is what the Kee extension communicates with (so we recommend pinning the tab to keep it within easy reach), and that website is what stores your kdbx file when you’re using a desktop computer. It is stored on your computer, and thus available offline, but it won’t be visible on your computer file system in the same way as a kdbx file that you manually sync for use with KeePass.

I think one can argue there are other advantages to the one you mention in point 2 (such as a nicer user interface) but that could be subjective and obviously some technical features are only possible with a Windows native application like KeePass (e.g. Windows remote desktop or Active Directory integration) so perhaps for some people your point about the main benefit is correct.

Kee Vault is aimed at individuals/consumers and I think that all relevant GDPR requirements are covered in the ToS and Privacy statement (which per the ToS does form a part of the service agreement anyway). We don’t and won’t offer any sort of B2B contracts, agreements or adjustments to the currently published ToS documents. I’ve not heard of any GDPR-related reason that an individual can’t choose to use the service within a business environment but the software is not designed or marketed for this purpose and it’s unlikely to have all the features that companies would be looking for in a password manager.