Bitwarden / Vaultwarden --- Password management tool

1. Introduction#

Bitwarden is a free and open-source password management service that allows users to store sensitive information in an encrypted vault. The Bitwarden platform offers various client applications, including a web user interface, desktop apps, browser extensions, mobile apps, and a command-line interface. Bitwarden provides cloud-hosted services and also supports self-hosted solutions.

After researching some commonly used password management tools on the market, I chose Bitwarden. I deployed it on a server using self-hosting, regularly backed up the database, and exported passwords to ensure security.

https://bitwarden.com/

Vaultwarden, on the other hand, is an unofficial Bitwarden server implementation written in Rust. It provides a nice web management interface and is compatible with Bitwarden.

2. Deployment#

First, execute the following command on the server.

docker run -d --name bitwardenrs \  
  --restart unless-stopped \  
  -e WEBSOCKET_ENABLED=true \  
  -v /data/password/data/:/data/ \  
  -p 6666:80 \  
  -p 3012:3012 \  
  vaultwarden/server:latest

After the deployment is complete, open the website, log in, and register. Then, delete the container.

To disable registration, as I only want to use it myself, follow these two steps. If registration is not to be disabled, you can ignore the following steps.

docker stop bitwardenrs  # Stop the container  
docker rm -f bitwardenrs  # Delete the container

docker run -d --name bitwardenrs \  
  --restart unless-stopped \  
  -e SIGNUPS_ALLOWED=false \  
  -e WEBSOCKET_ENABLED=true \  
  -v /data/password/data/:/data/ \  
  -p 6666:80 \  
  -p 3012:3012 \  
  vaultwarden/server:latest

3. docker-compose.yml#

Using ChatGPT, I converted this piece of code into a docker-compose.yml file for easier deployment and installation.

version: '3'
services:
  bitwardenrs:
    image: vaultwarden/server:latest
    container_name: bitwardenrs
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - SIGNUPS_ALLOWED=false
      - WEBSOCKET_ENABLED=true
    volumes:
      - /data/password/data/:/data/
    ports:
      - "6666:80"
      - "3012:3012"

4. Chrome Extension#

By using a reverse proxy, you can log in to the web interface using a domain name. Additionally, a Chrome extension is used, which automatically saves passwords when logging into websites.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bitwarden-free-password-m/nngceckbapebfimnlniiiahkandclblb

Afterwards, I only need to remember one master password, and all other website passwords are generated using encryption, allowing for convenience and security to coexist.