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Someone set a master password in my Firefox without my permission, how do I clear it if I don't know what it is?

  • 10 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

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A few days back somebody, more than likely one of my kids set a master password in my Firefox browser. Now I can't log into any of my bill pay sights or anything else, as it keeps asking me for a master password that nobody seems to know what is. Is there a way to clear that? If so how? I would rather not totally blow it away and start over.

A few days back somebody, more than likely one of my kids set a master password in my Firefox browser. Now I can't log into any of my bill pay sights or anything else, as it keeps asking me for a master password that nobody seems to know what is. Is there a way to clear that? If so how? I would rather not totally blow it away and start over.

Chosen solution

Thanks for your attempts at help, but I was able to finally figure out what the kids had done. It ended up not being that they changed it or entered one. The problem stemmed from a tool bar one of them installed, after I deleted it I was able to enter a Master Password and get everything back without loosing all my saved passwords. I have learned something from this however, I now have a copy of my key3.db file saved in a safe place so if anything happens in the future I have a back-up.

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See:

You lose all stored passwords if you use the chrome URI or delete signons.sqlite and key3.db to reset the Master Password.

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I use the password saver in Firefox, but I also keep a written copy in a safe place.

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refer to

and a quick tip....

Lock your computer when not in use, this ensures this doesnt happen again.

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For Waka_Flocka_Flame , I do as well, the point here was looking for a way to solve the problem without loosing all my saved passwords, and having to re-enter them all again.

Modified by Scott-Cusic

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Sorry that would be a security hole and its impossible to recover them.

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Chosen Solution

Thanks for your attempts at help, but I was able to finally figure out what the kids had done. It ended up not being that they changed it or entered one. The problem stemmed from a tool bar one of them installed, after I deleted it I was able to enter a Master Password and get everything back without loosing all my saved passwords. I have learned something from this however, I now have a copy of my key3.db file saved in a safe place so if anything happens in the future I have a back-up.

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For Waka_Flocka_Flame, Your acidic responses were of no help at all, please go away.

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Maybe you should lock your computer when not in use or if the kids share it use Parental Controls, sorry for being "acidic" in trying to help.

Modified by kobe

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A copy of the key3.db won't help if signons.sqlite has been encrypted with a different encryption key than stored in key3.db.
You always need to backup both files (signons.sqlite and key3.db) at the same time to be sure that it will work.
If the Master Password changes then signons.sqlite is re-encoded with the new key.

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Scott Remember to save the files every few days. There is a add-on that can help you called; FEBE. Best for the future. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/