492509 - Allow passwords to opt-out of Master Password when MPW use required for certificates

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Toolkit :: Password Manager, enhancement)

Description

[Sylvain Prat]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; fr; rv:1.9.0.10) Gecko/2009042316 Firefox/3.0.10 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; fr; rv:1.9.0.10) Gecko/2009042316 Firefox/3.0.10 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729)

Using a master password is quite annoying when using firefox daily since firefox asks a password each time it is started, something I do all day long. So, I would like to avoid using a master password for regular, normal use.

However, I must keep it enabled to protect my personal certificate (when I need to sign/encrypt some emails), or they may be comprised and used by someone else so easily.

What I would prefer is having a master password to protect my certificates, but no master password for regular use (internet surfing). So, I would really love having an option to choose where the master password will apply : filling forms/passwords, accessing/using certificates...

Is that conceivable?

Reproducible: Always

Comment 1

[Daniel Veditz [:dveditz]]

It's conceivable, but keep in mind that means your passwords are stored unencrypted on your computer. If you think your computer is secure then you could just use a blank or single character master password.

It is not an option to skip the master password when using user certificates. Cryptographically secure certificates must be stored encrypted.

I wouldn't get your hopes up that this enhancement will be made, but it's a valid request.

Comment 2

[Justin Dolske [:Dolske]]

There's some related discussion in bug 322617.

I would like to split apart the password manager's concept of a "master password" from the NSS/PSM concept (used to protect access to a security token and the certificates stored on it). But it's tricky from both a technical and policy/UI point of view.

Comment 3

[Justin Dolske [:Dolske]]

It's generally agreed among UX/Engineering/Product that we don't want to further develop the existing master password functionality, as it's a poor fit for current needs and our current direction in this area.