path: root/doc/kwallet/index.docbook

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY kwallet "<application>KWallet</application>">
  <!ENTITY kwalletmanager "<application>KWallet Manager</application>">
  <!ENTITY package "kdeutils">
  <!ENTITY kappname "&kwallet;">
  <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
  <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE">
]>

<book lang="&language;">
<bookinfo>
<title>The &kwallet; Handbook</title>

<authorgroup>
<author>
&George.Staikos; &George.Staikos.mail;
</author>
<author>
&Lauri.Watts; &Lauri.Watts.mail;
</author>
<othercredit role="developer">
<firstname>George</firstname><surname>Staikos</surname>
<affiliation><address><email>staikos@kde.org</email></address></affiliation>
<contrib>Developer</contrib>
</othercredit>
<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS -->
</authorgroup>

<legalnotice>&FDLNotice;</legalnotice>

<date>2005-06-15</date>
<releaseinfo>1.0</releaseinfo>

<abstract>
<para>
The wallet subsytem provides a convenient and secure way to manage all your
passwords.</para>

</abstract>


<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>Kwallet</keyword>
<keyword>passwords</keyword>
<keyword>forms</keyword>
</keywordset>

</bookinfo>

<chapter id="introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>

<para>Computer users have a very large amount of data to manage, some of
which is sensitive.  In particular, you will typically have many passwords
to manage.  Remembering them is difficult, writing them down on paper or in
a text file is insecure, and using tools such at PGP is tedious and
inconvenient.</para>

<para>&kwallet; saves this sensitive data for you in a strongly encrypted
file, accessible by all applications, and protected with a master
password that you define.</para>

<tip>
<para>&kwallet; supports multiple wallets, so 
for the most secure operation, you should use one wallet for local
passwords, and another for network passwords and form data.  You can
configure this behavior in the &kwallet; &kcontrolcenter; module, however
the default setting is to store everything in one wallet.</para>
</tip>

<para>A wallet is by default closed, which means that you must supply
a password to open it. Once the wallet is opened, the contents can
be accessed.</para>

</chapter>

<chapter id="kwalletmanager">
<title>&kwalletmanager;</title>

<para>&kwalletmanager; serves a number of functions.  Firstly it allows you to see if
any wallets are open, which wallets those are, and which applications are
using each wallet.  You can disconnect an application's access to a wallet
from within the &kwalletmanager;.</para>

<para>You may also manage the wallets installed on the system, creating and
deleting wallets and manipulating their contents (changing keys, ...).</para>

<para>Normally the &kwalletmanager; application is launched when
&kde; starts and remains in iconic form in the system tray. Alternatively, 
when a wallet is opened, the &kwalletmanager; application will be
launched.  A system tray icon indicates that a wallet is open:
 <mediaobject>
   <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="cr22-action-wallet_open.png"/>
   </imageobject>
 </mediaobject>

When all
wallets are closed, the icon will reflect this by showing a closed
wallet:
<mediaobject>
 <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="cr22-action-wallet_closed.png"/>
  </imageobject>
 </mediaobject> 

</para>

<para>Click once on the system tray wallet icon to display the &kwalletmanager;
window showing all available wallets as icons which reflect their
current status, either open or closed.</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
   <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="kwalletmanager.png"/>
   </imageobject>
 </mediaobject></para>


<sect1 id="kwalletmanager-context-menu">
<title>The &kwalletmanager; Context Menu</title>

<para><mousebutton>Right</mousebutton> clicking on a wallet in the
&kwalletmanager; window offers 
the following functions:</para>

<variablelist>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>New Wallet...</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Create a new wallet. A dialog box will ask you
for the name of the new wallet that you want to create.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><menuchoice><shortcut>&Enter;</shortcut>
<guisubmenu>Open...</guisubmenu></menuchoice></term>
<listitem>
<para>Open the wallet. Opening the wallet causes the contents 
of the wallet to be displayed in a new window where you can
add, delete, or modify the contents of the wallet. You may also 
double click the wallet icon to cause it to open. If the wallet
is not already open, you will be requested to enter the password.
See below for details of using the wallet window.
</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
   <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="edit1.png"/>
   </imageobject>
 </mediaobject></para>

</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Change Password</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Change the master password for the wallet.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guisubmenu>Disconnect</guisubmenu></term>
<listitem><para>Disconnect an application from the wallet. Currently
connected applications will appear in a submenu.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Close</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem><para>Force the wallet to be closed.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guimenuitem>Delete</guimenuitem></term>
<listitem>
<para>Delete the wallet</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="kwalletmanager-wallet-window">
<title>The Wallet Window</title>

<para>Double clicking on a wallet in the &kwalletmanager; window will open a new
window displaying that wallet's contents. A wallet may contain any number
of folders, which allow storing of password information. By default a wallet
will contain folders named Form Data and Passwords.
</para>

<para>The window has four panes:</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
   <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="edit1.png"/>
   </imageobject>
 </mediaobject></para>


<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>A summary of the contents of the current
folder</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>The folders contained in the wallet</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>The entries in the currently selected
folder</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>The contents of the selected folder entry</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>Folders may be added or deleted, and selecting a folder will update
the folder entry list and the summary display.  Selecting a folder entry
will update the entry contents pane, and allow you to edit that
entry.</para>
<para>
<mediaobject>
   <imageobject>
     <imagedata fileref="edit2.png"/>
   </imageobject>
 </mediaobject></para>


<para>Entries may also be created or deleted via the context menu for the
folder contents.</para>

<para>All folders and entries may be dragged and dropped into other wallets
or folders respectively.  This allows a user to easily package up a new
wallet for transfer to another environment.  For instance, a new wallet
could be created and copied onto a removable flash memory device.  Important
passwords could be transferred there, so you have them available in other
locations.</para>

</sect1>

</chapter>

<chapter id="kwallet-kcontrol-module">
<title>Configuring &kwallet;</title>

<sect1 id="wallet-preferences">
<title><guilabel>Wallet Preferences</guilabel></title>

<para>&kwallet; contains a small configuration panel with several options
that allow you to tune &kwallet; to your personal preferences.  The
default settings for &kwallet; are sufficient for most users.</para>

<para>Check the box to enable or disable the &kde; wallet subsystem
entirely.  If this box is unchecked, then &kwallet; is entirely disabled and
none of the other options here have any effect, nor will &kwallet; record
any information, or offer to fill in forms for you.</para>

<variablelist>
<title><guilabel>Close Wallet</guilabel></title>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Close when unused for:</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Close the current wallet after a period of inactivity. If you check this
option, set the period in the box, default is 10 minutes. When a wallet is
closed, the password is needed to access it again.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Close when screen saver starts</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Close the wallet as soon as the screensaver starts. When a wallet is
closed, the password is needed to access it again.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Close when last application stops using it</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Close the wallet as soon as applications that use it have stopped. Note
that your wallets will only be closed when all the applications that use it have
stopped. When a wallet is closed, the password is needed to access it
again.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<variablelist>
<title><guilabel>Automatic Wallet Selection</guilabel></title>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Select wallet to use as default:</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Select which wallet you want to use as default wallet.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Different wallet for local passwords:</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>If checked, choose a different wallet for local passwords.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<variablelist>
<title><guilabel>Wallet Manager</guilabel></title>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Show manager in system tray</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Enable the wallet manager to have its icon in the system tray.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Hide System tray icon when last wallet
closes</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>When there is no wallet in use anymore, remove the wallet icon from the
system tray.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<para>Finally, there is a button labelled <guibutton>Launch Wallet
Manager</guibutton>, which does precisely that.</para>
</sect1>

<sect1 id="wallet-access-control">
<title><guilabel>Access Control</guilabel></title>

<para>There is only one option on this page:</para>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Prompt when an application accesses an open wallet</guilabel></term>
<listitem>
<para>Signal you when an application gains access to an open wallet.</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<para>Next there is a tree style view of the access controls for your wallets.</para>

<para>&LMB; click on the <guiicon>+</guiicon> symbol beside a wallet name to
expand the tree. You will see the name of each application that has asked
for access to the wallet, and the policy you set for it.  You cannot edit
policies here, or add them, but it is possible to delete an entry by &RMB;
clicking on it and choosing <guimenuitem>Delete</guimenuitem> From the
context menu that appears, or by simply selecting it and pressing the
<keycap>Delete</keycap> key.</para>

</sect1>

</chapter>

<chapter id="advanced-features">
<title>Advanced Features</title>

<para>Wallets can be dragged from the &kwalletmanager; window.  This allows
you to drag the wallet to a file browser window, where you can choose to
copy, move, or link the wallet, as desired.</para>

<para>You might use this to save a wallet to portable media, such as a
USB keychain, so that you can take your passwords with you to work or
on a vacation, and still have easy access to important sites.</para>

<para>Future versions will have built-in functions for easy export or
copying of data to portable devices.</para>

</chapter>

<chapter id="credits-and-licenses">
<title>Credits and Licenses</title>

<para>&kwallet; &copy; 2003 &George.Staikos;</para>
<para>Documentation &copy; &Lauri.Watts; and &George.Staikos;</para>

<!-- TRANS:CREDIT_FOR_TRANSLATORS -->

&underFDL;
&underGPL;

</chapter>

&documentation.index;

</book>

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