RoboForm Pro v6.9.2 - secure data vault and form filler browser plug-in

RoboForm Pro v6.9.2

Reviewed by: Howard Carson, May 2007
Published by: Siber Systems
Requires: RoboForm works on Windows 98, Me, NT4, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista systems; Internet Explorer version 5.5, 6.0 or later or Firefox v2.x or later is required; all Windows service packs and security patches must be installed
MSRP: US$29.95

The gradual process of moving parts of our lives online — shopping, bill payment, personal research and exploration, banking and so on, ad infinitum — can either be exciting with the right tools in-hand, or unrelentingly enervating because of poor or absent tools thereby making the whole adventure far too much like work. I don't know about you, but in my capacity as a writer, researcher and factotum I have no choice but to maintain a tangled skein of logon names, passwords and other secure access. Following the good advice of security experts to avoid reusing user names and passwords means that I now have a very long list of user names and passwords. A few years ago I started using secure data vault software (TurboPassword, formerly called Cloak) which features both a desktop PC component and a Palm OS PDA/smartphone component. That made it easy to access user names and passwords for the dozens (or hundreds — I've never actually totalled them) of logons I need and use. The problem became one of both convenience and speed of access. While secure software data vaults abound and certainly protect all of the data you care to add, very few are also capable of retrieving specific data automatically to fill out online forms and login screens for you. Enter RoboForm.

RoboForm is a top-rated password manager, secure data vault and web form filler that completely automates password entering and form filling. It installs as a browser plug-in for either Internet Explorer or Firefox running on Windows 98 or later. RoboForm is designed to provide personal data security and online form automation. Here's the feature highlight list:

After installing RoboForm, every time you enter a login user name and password, RoboForm will ask if you want to store the information. Thereafter, whenever you visit the same page, RoboForm will identify it, call up the correct login information and all you have to do is click the button which appears in the toolbar to fill out the login. RoboForm also stores your name, address, phone number and as much or as little additional personal information (including credit card numbers, expiry dates, CVV codes and so on) that you care to feed it. Any time you need to fill out an online form with personal information or enter purchase information at an online store, just click your name button on the RoboForm toolbar and the form will be filled out correctly and automatically for you. As far as we can tell, the process continues to be flawless. There are plenty of non-standard and just plain oddball forms out there, apparently designed by web developers who just aren't thinking straight. RoboForm seems to handle them with ease, correctly identifying fields and entering information accurately.

I still use TurboPassword, though I've been lately leaning toward Splash ID (available for Palm OS, Blackberry and Pocket PC). But with RoboForm plugged in to IE7 and Firefox on all of my PCs, I'm now referring to the standalone data vaults only when I'm away from the computer.

Cons: There are none. We could wish that web designers stopped being 'creative' when they design forms and related processes which are awkward and unintuitive. We could also wish for compatibility with Linux versions of Firefox, but since Linux is still just an immeasurably tiny fraction of the desktop PC market it's largely irrelevant (so far). We did not have an opportunity to test RoboForm password sync to Pocket PC or Palm OS devices.

Pros: I really like RoboForm. I've always liked RoboForm. This review is definitely biased, simply because I've made extensive and productive use of RoboForm for many years. The main problem with such a subjective viewpoint is that it can sometimes make a reviewer gloss over obvious product problems. However, RoboForm is mercifully free of such problems and remains an eminently useful product which seems to be fully compatible with the latest versions of the two market-leading web browsers. Previous browser versions are also supported, but we think you really do need to be using the latest versions in order to be as secure as possible online. Throughout two weeks of intensive daily testing, we did not find a web form of any kind (login, online store, application, membership, registration, etc.) that could stump RoboForm. Siber Systems emphasizes its security policies and strict adherence to user data privacy at every opportunity. Plugs neatly into Internet Explorer and Firefox and we didn't encounter any plug-in compatibility issues or problems. One of the handiest browser plugs-in available today. Highly recommended.