275039 - FireFox lacks Master Password Reset feature

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 270331

(Firefox :: Settings UI, enhancement)

Description

[Richard Frear]

On my Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 2, operating
on the Pentium M at 1700 Mhz, with 1 GB of RAM, I am unable to load my personal
PKI certificates.  I don't this this is a Password Manger problem, but there is
no  component choice for "certificates"

Using the autoform toolbar, I saved a password for a form.  I was asked to set a
master password.  I did.  I have since saved other passwords, when prompted I
enter the master password, the password in the form is saved.

I am trying to load my personal PKI certificates.  It is in the format with
*.pks.  When I try to load the certificate, Firefox application opens a window
which asks "Please enter the master password for the Software Security Device."
    I enter the master password I set previously, this does not work.  A null
entry does not work.

When I got to Tools>options>advanced and go to Manage Security Devices I am
unable to login to the Software Security Device, since I don't have it's master
password.  I can not change or set this password either, since I don't have the
current password for the Software Security Device.

Am I missing something?  Please help.

Regards,

Richard Frear

Comment 1

[Josh Birnbaum]

->PSM

Comment 2

[Nelson Bolyard (seldom reads bugmail)]

Is this perhaps a dup of bug 252436 ?
Do you have non-ascii characters in your password?

AFAIK, there is only one "master password" in a firefox profile.
The "master password" unlocks the "software security device" that
is used to encrypt and decrypt your passwords.  That same security
device is used to store your private keys and personal certificates.

You mentioned *.pks, which doesn't ring any bells.  
cert manager imports certs in .p12 or .pfx file formats.  
If this .pks file is a different format, firefox may not understand it.

Comment 3

[Richard Frear]

I received comments from [e-mail], I am unable to access the 
software security device since I do not know it's password.  I can, using the 
autoform utility, save passwords entered via the form.  My unlocking password, 
created the first time I saved a password via autoform works, kinda.  When I 
load saved passwords, they ussually don't work and I have to enter them 
manually.

As it is, I have diabled the Password Manager since it depends on the software 
security device, which I don't have the password too.

[e-mail]

Comment 4

[Richard Frear]

Additional comment:  I entered the incorrect data for the file type I was 
trying to import.  It is a *.pfx file type.  After I select the file, I am 
challenged for a master password, which I don't know.

Does anyone know how to reset the master password?  Without this bug getting 
fixed, it limits the usablity of this browser, for me.

[e-mail]

Comment 5

[Nelson Bolyard (seldom reads bugmail)]

I have now learned that the "autoform toolbar" is an extension, and is NOT
FF's version of mozilla's (seamonkey's) password manager (PM).  Unlike PM,
this extension does not use NSS's "secret decoder ring" API to encrypt 
the passwords it stores, and hence the ability to store and recall passwords
with it does not imply knowledge of the software security device's "master
password".

The issue in this bug is simply that the user forgot his "master password"
and needs some findable UI to reset it in FireFox.   For all I know, it
is possible that FF has a master password reset UI that users simply cannot
find.  

I wish I knew who is the FF UI person responsible for master password UI, so
I could assign this to him.

Comment 6

[Doug Wright]

(In reply to comment #5)
> I wish I knew who is the FF UI person responsible for master password UI, so
> I could assign this to him.

Surely that's Ben?

Comment 7

[Nelson Bolyard (seldom reads bugmail)]

Reassign to Ben Goodger Per DOug Wright's comment

Comment 8

[Bain Kennedy]

(In reply to comment #7)
> Reassign to Ben Goodger Per DOug Wright's comment

Has there been any traction on this issue?

Comment 9

[Kai Engert (:KaiE:)]

Ben, if I understand correctly, this is a firefox-only bug, because the password-reset-UI, that's available in Seamonkey, is no longer contained in Firefox.

Comment 10

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 270331 ***

Comment 11

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

*** Bug 364212 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***