466279 - Password manager cannot store zero length passwords, still attempts to

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect)

Description

[johnbillion]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-GB; rv:1.9.0.4) Gecko/2008102920 Firefox/3.0.4
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-GB; rv:1.9.0.4) Gecko/2008102920 Firefox/3.0.4

Background: The password manager is incapable of storing zero length passwords as the password field is mandatory in nsILoginManager [1].

When a user enters a username but no password into a BasicAuth dialog, the password manager still appears asking if the user would like to store the password. Clicking 'Remember Password' does nothing and the Remember Password bar does not disappear.

The eror reported in the JavaScript console (when signon.debug is enabled) is:

Error: uncaught exception: [Exception... "'Can't add a login with a null or empty password.' when calling method: [nsILoginManager::addLogin]"  nsresult: "0x8057001e (NS_ERROR_XPC_JS_THREW_STRING)"  location: "JS frame :: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Mozilla%20Firefox%203/components/nsLoginManagerPrompter.js :: anonymous :: line 628"  data: no]

The password manager should either not offer to remember zero length passwords (possibly offering a friendly notice saying that it cannot store zero length passwords), or it should be modified so it can accept zero length passwords.

[1]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Using_nsILoginManager#Storing_a_password

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Visit http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/svn/tortoisesvn/trunk/src/Changelog.txt . This page is protected with BasicAuth and required the username 'guest' and a blank password to access.
2. Enter the username 'guest' and a blank password.
3. Click the 'Remember' button when the password manager asks if you'd like to store the password.

You can view the error in the Javascript console by setting signon.debug to true in about:config.
Actual Results:  
The 'Remember' button has no effect and the remember password bar remains.

Expected Results:  
Either the password gets remembered, or the browser reminds the user that blank passwords cannot be stored.

Comment 1

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

This bug was reported using Firefox 3.0 or older, which is no longer supported. The bug has also not been changed in over 500 days and is still in UNCO.
Reporter, please retest this bug in Firefox 3.6.10 or later using a fresh profile, http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/managing+profiles. If you still see this problem, please update the bug. If you no longer see the bug, please set the resolution to RESOLVED, WORKSFORME.

This is a mass search of unconfirmed bugs that have no activity on them, so if you feel a bug was marked in error, just remove the CLOSEME comment in the whiteboard within the next month.

Comment 2

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.12 or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.