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Usernames visible in private window after master password entered in normal window

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 20 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I have a master password set and this works as expected. However, if I start a private window after inputting the password in the normal window, all the usernames (not passwords) are visible in the private window. This looks like a breach of privacy? I would have expected that a new private window would have to request the master password to be re-entered. Is this by design?

I have a master password set and this works as expected. However, if I start a private window after inputting the password in the normal window, all the usernames (not passwords) are visible in the private window. This looks like a breach of privacy? I would have expected that a new private window would have to request the master password to be re-entered. Is this by design?

All Replies (2)

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Is this a change from the older design of the Password Manager before Firefox 70?

Since you are the only one who sees the Logins & Passwords page, I'm not sure why it is a problem that you don't have to unlock the page a second time. Is there a specific reason you're concerned?

One thing you might want to do is not allow Firefox to autofill logins, which requires you to always choose them from a drop-down list on the username field. The setting for that is:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste signon and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the signon.autofillForms preference to switch the value from true to false

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The master password unlocks the Password Manager, so once the MP is entered then there is always full access to the usernames and passwords possible. In the legacy Password Manager you could see all the passwords, but in Lockwise you need to enter the MP for each password you would want to inspect. The MP is initially requested to the logins database and make access possible to the usernames.