Master password

A master password protects access to your stored passwords in your Password Manager. By setting a Master Password, a user will be prompted to enter the Master Password when access into the Password Manager's stored passwords is needed (not everytime, but as needed). For example, your webmail account login information is stored in the Password Manager (if your agree to the prompt that asks you about it). On Thunderbird and Mozilla Mail, it also protects your POP, IMAP, and SMTP server passwords. You will also need to setup a master password if you wish to install S/MIME certificates. A master password is set on a per-profile basis, so it is useful if you have many profiles on your machine or you share a machine with many profiles.

Note for Thunderbird and Mozilla Mail users: This will not prevent other users from reading any mail which is already stored in local folders, but it will prevent them from downloading new mail and sending mail from your accounts.

Setting a Master Password

• For Firefox: "Tools -> Options (Edit -> Preferences on Linux) -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Set Master Password".
• For Thunderbird: "Tools -> Options (Edit -> Preferences on Linux) -> Advanced -> Passwords and Security -> Saved Passwords -> Master Password -> Change Password".
• For Mozilla Suite: "Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Master Passwords -> Change Password".

Note: Enabling the Master Password feature will not protect any passwords that are already stored in the Password Manager. To remedy this, clear your current passwords.

Clearing a Master Password

• For Firefox: "Tools -> Options (Edit -> Preferences on Linux) -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Clear".
• For Thunderbird: "Tools -> Options (Edit -> Preferences on Linux) -> Advanced -> Passwords and Security -> Saved Passwords -> View Saved Passwords -> Remove All".
• For Mozilla Suite: "Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Passwords -> Manage Stored Passwords -> Remove All".