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missing credentials

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cor-el

mark.phillips
mark.phillips
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I had to restart my computer after upgrading ESET AntiVirus and I now have no saved passwords in FireFox.

I have located the logins.json file which is inside my current profile and can open it with FireFox. It contains over 100 records but the username/password fields are encrypted.

I understand that the logins.json file works with a file called key*.db to unencrypt the information. I can see key4.db and key3.db inside my FireFox profile folder but I'm not sure why it's not working.

Can anyone offer any advice on how I can get my passwords back?

I had to restart my computer after upgrading ESET AntiVirus and I now have no saved passwords in FireFox. I have located the logins.json file which is inside my current profile and can open it with FireFox. It contains over 100 records but the username/password fields are encrypted. I understand that the logins.json file works with a file called key*.db to unencrypt the information. I can see key4.db and key3.db inside my FireFox profile folder but I'm not sure why it's not working. Can anyone offer any advice on how I can get my passwords back?

Chosen solution

There are 171 logins in the file, but Firefox isn't able to decrypt any ('Couldn't decrypt string'), so it looks that there is a problem with the key file.

You can give it a some tries and check if you can locate older matching copies of logins.json and key4.db.

You can look at a utility to browse System Restore points.

To be able to use key3.db you would have to install a Firefox 68 ESR version (support for key3.db ended in Firefox 73+).

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Try to set signon.debug = true on the about:config page and check the Browser Console when you start Firefox.

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can click the button to "Accept the Risk and Continue".

EDIT: Do not forget to reset signon.debug to false when you are done testing.

Modified by cor-el

mark.phillips
mark.phillips Question owner
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Thank you for your reply.

I have adjusted the signon.debug to true, closed FireFox, copied the logins.json and all key*.db files into my profile. Then opened FireFox. Here is an export of the Browser Console - Log

I've completed the above on a test PC if that helps at all.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

There are 171 logins in the file, but Firefox isn't able to decrypt any ('Couldn't decrypt string'), so it looks that there is a problem with the key file.

You can give it a some tries and check if you can locate older matching copies of logins.json and key4.db.

You can look at a utility to browse System Restore points.

To be able to use key3.db you would have to install a Firefox 68 ESR version (support for key3.db ended in Firefox 73+).