REVIEW: SPB Wallet 2 Review

REVIEW: Spb Wallet 2.


Spb Wallet 2 is the latest of Spb's current round of upgrades bringing an increased graphical and touch friendly operation to their software catalogue. Spb Wallet is designed to provide a secure and single point of storage for all your security, financial and personal documentation, pin code and login details.

Supplier: Spb Software Product: Spb Wallet 2.0 Cost: $29.95 Version tested: v2.0.0 Build 11237 OS Support: WM5/6/6.1 Classic/Professional, Symbian S60 (3rd& 5th Edition), iPhone (Original & 3G), iPod Touch Screen Support: All standard QVGA/VGA & WVGA modes Language Support: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Trad Chinese, Simp Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Czech, Thai Install Size: qVGA 5Mb, VGA 5Mb, Symbian 2.5Mb Install Location: Device or Storage card supported Review: The review was carried out on a T-Mobile TyTn II WM6 with a unlimited data connection and a Nokia E51. 4WinMobile would like to thank Denis Khitrov of Spb Software for providing a copy of Spb Wallet 2.0 for review purposes.

Introduction

The basic function of all software wallets is to provide a central store for your passwords, codes, pin numbers etc in a simple but secure manner. The idea being that you can have different passwords for all your secure access requirements without having to remember all your passwords. Instead you have a single password that provides you with access to them all. So what are the basic features and requirements of a software wallet?

Requirements: Be encrypted to a high standard. Have a time out feature requiring you to log back in to the wallet after a given period of inactivity. Access to the wallet must allow the use of complex passwords (a-Z, 1-9 and symbols). Access to the stored data must be reasonably simple allowing for the necessary security requirements.

Features: The ability to synchronise to a second device (e.g. your PC). If you lose the phone or it becomes corrupt you have to be able to access the wallet some other way. The ability to add and modify entries. The hidden data should not be instantly viewable. When selecting an entry for a pin code, for example, you should be able to unhide and hide the code on request. As wide a variety of secure data options as possible. The ability to create your own specific format of security information.

Installation

Installation was flawless and can be performed using either a PC based ActiveSync setup or, via a CAB file directly on the device itself. Additionally for the Nokia version a sisx file can also be used in conjunction with the Nokia software.The installation also offered the option to install the internet browser plug-in. For the purposes of this review, and in order to test its synchronisation abilities to the full, Spb Wallet was installed as follows: PC 1 Windows Vista desktop install + Active Sync install to T-Mobile TyTnII. Existing wallet from competitor exported and imported into new SPB Wallet. Synchronised with Windows Mobile Device. PC 2 Windows XP Pro desktop install + install to Nokia E51. Desktop synchronised with existing wallet on Windows Mobile device. Nokia E51 synchronised with desktop wallet. All installs and initial synchronisations were completed intuitively and with no issues. The import of original data maintained both the folder structure and data format.

Key Features



Spb Wallet have taken their original design and enhanced it graphically and by providing additional features. If you would like to see the differences between version 1 and 2 you can check out the 4WinMobile review here (Spb Wallet). For the sake of ease I have grouped the individual features described in this review as follows:

• Security
• Card templates and functionality
• Smart actions and Browser interaction
• Synchronisation and desktop functionality
• Additional features

Although this review has concentrated on the Windows Mobile features equivalent screen images for both the Nokia (Symbian) and iPhone have also been included. Testing was performed using both a Windows Mobile and a Nokia device. Unfortunately an iPhone was not available and its features have not therefore been tried.


Security

This is the make or break for any software wallet. If the data is not held securely then the product should not be used. Spb store all data, including the access password, using a strong 256bit AES algorithm (wiki address here). Password access to the wallet can be either using the device's default input (keyboard or touch screen keyboard) or using Spb Wallet's own input mechanism which provides additional protection against key loggers. A much needed enhancement with the Spb input mechanism is that it now allows the use of symbols and therefore the secure entry of complex passwords. When creating or modifying a wallet password a strength indicator is shown giving a visual indication of the relative security provided by the selected password. The system also allows for a hint to be entered which can be requested or automatically be shown after a specified number of incorrect entries. However, the system does not enforce a strong password to be provided and I am not sure if the provision of a hint is a good idea either. Additional security can be configured to automatically lock the wallet after a specified period between 1 and 60 minutes. The default is set to 30 minutes which I personally believe to be rather too long. I try to close or at least lock my wallet after use and if I have not used it for more than 5 minutes then it is because I have forgotten to do so. The system can also clean up the clipboard on exit.

Card Templates and Interface functionality

Spb Wallet has been given a completely new look providing a finger friendly interface, with gesture control and smart scrolling. If wished a either a standard folder or large icon view can be used instead. Right to Left gestures move down through a folders hierarchical structure until the card required is displayed. A final right left opens the card in standard list mode for editing. Left to Right Gestures move back up the folder tree. Depending on the card Template certain fields are only displayed as “****” such as passwords and pin codes. Tapping on the secure data fields toggles the display of the actual data on and off. Individual items of information are stored as cards within a hierarchical folder structure of your design. Cards and folders can be moved from one location to another within the folder view. The actual information itself is always displayed in the same format with a graphical card image at the top of the screen and a variable text list area at the bottom. These card images are designed to look just like the real cards that you use and to which the information relates. A Visa card is displayed with the account details exactly like your actual Visa card and your driving licence information is displayed on top of a driving licence image. When installed the software comes with approximately 60 template images but there is access to an online template gallery with over 7000 more to choose from. So if you have a special Visa card from a specific bank with a specific logo you can download an exact replica to use. Obviously even with 7000 images to choose from it is unlikely that every card will be catered for and this is where Spb provide that little extra. If you cannot find your card in the online template gallery, fill out a form and a template will be developed for you ABSOLUTELY FREE. Creation and editing of card details is performed using a standard list view so it’s back to the stylus. However, the edit screen also provides a card image editor that allows you to move, add or change data fields around the image and make some changes to its display.

Smart Actions and Browser Interaction

Spb have included a number of useful extras to allow you to make quick and, more importantly safe, use of the information stored within your wallet. Password auto fill allows you to click on the web site displayed on a web field within a card and have that web site opened in your browser and have the user name and password automatically filled in for you. This smart field functionality also extends to sending an email, initiating a phone call or an SMS/MMS message and copying data directly into the clipboard. Spb Have also included a Browser plug-in toolbar, with the desktop version, for the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers. This has been designed to provide both a more secure web browsing experience and also allows you to keep your wallet up-to-date more efficiently. Capture Card will capture the username, password and URL of a website and create a Web Site card for you. Card Creation Prompt will prompt you to create a Web Site card when you visit a site password web page that is not currently in your wallet. Web Site List provides a drop down menu to allow quick navigation to those sites in your Wallet. Password Generator will create and fill in a password for you when you register at a new Web Site. This can safely create a complex password, which you won’t be able to remember, and save it on your wallet so that you do not have worry about remembering it. Fill Page Button will automatically fill the password and user fields from the related card in your wallet. A Task bar icon is also loaded when you run the Desktop Wallet which provides quick access to SPB Wallet, the Desktop Wallet, Password generator and your most frequently used Cards.

Synchronisation and Desktop Wallet

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The heart of Spb Wallet is the Spb Desktop Wallet program. Although you can do almost everything you want on the device version it’s still easier to set up and configure your wallet on the desktop where you have full drag and drop. A second not inconsiderable factor is that although you get 60+ initial card templates these are not likely to fulfil all your needs and you will want to download additional ones from the online template gallery. Depending on your data package this will be a lot quicker and cheaper from the desktop. Added functionality is also provided through the use of the browser plug-in and task bar icon. However, the main function of the Spb Desktop Wallet application is to provide the focal point of Spb Wallet's numerous synchronisation facilities. There are a number of reasons for synchronising your wallet: Security - Losing all your passwords etc does not bear thinking about. Device failure - It happens. Multiple devices - How many of us have more than one device and this now includes Nokia and iPhones. Sharing - With the ability to have multiple wallets comes the ability to share with other people. Data redundancy - basically means you should never have the same information stored separately on different devices. By synchronising, the wallets changes in one wallet, are reflected on all other devices Synchronisation can be configured to run automatically, using Active Sync on connection, or manually from the Spb Desktop Wallet. What Spb have done with synchronisation is to open it up to more than just your PC and your Windows Mobile Device. Multiple devices synchronising with multiple desktops. So you can have a home and work wallet synchronising with your home and work desktop. A personal and work phone which can be either a Windows mobile or a Nokia. Cloud sync with Google mail. Imap is used to connect to your Google mailbox and the wallet is saved as an encrypted attachment. Folder or network share. Not only can you synchronise to your desktop PC but using the folder share you can also synch to a memory card or mass storage device. The added feature of a network synchronosation makes the use of shared wallets within a team or work environment become extremely useful. Spb have definitely taken a lead in the password wallet arena with the synchronisation aspect, however they could still improve this by adding more cloud synchronisation via FTP, Skydrive and other internet storage.

Additional features

Smart Search Spb Wallet provides a Smart Search facility which automatically displays the results of a search as you type so there is no need to press enter as the results are shown and refined the more search characters you provide in the search criteria. Password generator The password generator will automatically create a password for you based on Normal, Strong and Very Strong options using a personalised mix of a-z, A-Z, 0-9, brackets, special characters and spaces. There also an option to create a pronounceable password which unfortunately never managed to produce a password I could pronounce! This could easily be regarded as Spb Wallet's principal weapon in your personal security. Let SPB Wallet create a Very Strong password for you and Smart Action to automatically pass the value to the logon screen. It does not matter that you could probably not remember the password as SPB Wallet can automatically log you on. To be honest you do not actually need to know what it is and since the more people who know a password the less secure it is then if even you do not know it then it just got even more secure.

Usage in the real world

The main decision on whether a piece of software is worth paying for is "How well does it perform in the real world?". I can honestly state that I found SPB Wallet very good. One of the main forms of protected data that I frequently use, and which I can never remember, is coded door entry systems. With SPB Wallet I could arrive at a door fully loaded and singled handed, using just the touch screen and finger/swipe control, open the wallet and access the required data without having to put everything down and resort to the stylus.

I can easliy add new items on the mobile devices and then complete them fully later on my desktop after synchronisation. Data synchronisation across multiple devices was simplicity itself and was helped by the ability to turn off automatic ActiveSync synchronisation when you connect your mobile device to your desktop. Like a lot of other people I have a number of other applications that all want to synchronise when I connect up my mobile device to a PC (e.g. email, petrol/mileage, shopping list, podcasts... the lists just go on) and having yet another syncronisation task to wait for can become a nuisance. With SPB Wallet I turned off automatic synchronisation and used the manual synchronisation option from the desktop menu.

As for the Smart Tools I soon found that the automatic signon and card creation tools became second nature and quite a time saver. I have now started a process of visiting all my web sites and resetting the passwords to complex and different ones for each site - we all know we should do this but how many of us actually do?

Pros and Cons

Excellent interface	No card / folder move on the mobile device
Ease of navigation	Cloud synch only for Google
Multiple device synchronisation	No Mac desktop synchronisation
Real world card views
Free card view creation service
Smart browser integration

Conclusion
Computer security has always been an issue: however these days the threat from identity theft has made it absolutely essential to ensure all your data is either encrypted or secured. Gone are the days of using your partner's birthday or dog's name. Passwords, encryption keys and pin codes need to be complex, random and unique for every access to have meaningful security - the problem is that this means unless you have a photographic memory you have to write passwords down. This instantly compromises their security.
Software Wallets provide a solution by enabling you to have complex security for all your access requirements but only have to remember a single password to get to them. Obviously this password should be as secure as possible whilst still being one that can be remembered.

Spb have taken their original Wallet and given it a major update and turned it into a quite comprehensive Identity Theft security package for both mobile devices and your desktop PC. One of the Desktop Wallet's features is to extract the user and password information entered into a web page and store this data in a Wallet Card. If Spb Wallet can do this so could other less welcome programs and by using Spb Wallet along with their input mechanism, and by not saving user-ids and passwords in your browser, a higher level of security and safety can be achieved.

The conclusion in the review for Spb Wallet 1 ended "until Spb fix the wallet password entry of special characters, I am not prepared to use the desktop program. For PPC use only the competing products offer the same level of security and are cheaper, although not quite as slickly presented. So for me this is a near miss, which won’t take much effort to convert into a market leader, but for now I don’t recommend it.". I would say Spb have fixed the issues in their release of Wallet 2, enhanced the presentation and have leapfrogged the rest of the competition to become the current market leader. They have brought out a secure, usable and broad package which I would recommend adding as an enhancement to anyone's Anti Virus and Spyware setup.

There are still some areas which can be enhanced:
Access to the Online Template Gallery via Windows Mobile devices
FTP, SkyDrive and other cloud service synchronisations
Drag and drop or a move facility for cards and folders on mobile devices.
A Mac version of the desktop in order to provide additional integration with the iPhone and iPod versions
However, these are all extras and the product as it stands, when used in conjuction with the Desktop Wallet, provides a simple and effective means to secure your data in a mobile environment.


Would I recommend SPB Wallet ?
If you do not have a software wallet - yes.
If you have SPB Wallet 1 - yes get the upgrade.
If you have a competitor's wallet - Now there is the $64,000 question. I would say that SPB Wallet 2 is the current winner, so it all depends upon whether you think they will step up to the mark on their next upgrade.