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WINDOWS is asking for a PW IN FireFox

  • 7 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by BevHoward

BevHoward
BevHoward
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This just started happening in the last week or so.

I do not need help with this. I am posting it in the hopes that it might be of value to others.

I was using FF's Login information to view a password for a website, but, when I clicked the "eyeball" to confirm the password, a dialog box popped up... which lead to the loss of over half an hour of my time trying to comply with the request.

For the next half hour or so, it refused to accept my FireFox password nor any of the recent FF passwords as I scoured through my multiple pw storage and recovery options.

I finally logged out of FF and when I logged back in, FF accepted the FF password that didn't work in the view pw dialog window. I went back to that dialog window and the FF pw still didn't work.

I finally noticed that the thumbnail in the dialog window didn't match my FF thumbnail and finally noticed that the dialog box title was "Windows Security"

Windows was asking for my windows login password to allow me to view my firefox credentials within firefox.

Not sure when or how this happened, but I am pretty sure I viewed a ff pw within the last week or so without this requirement.

Hope this info might save time for others who encounter the same request, Beverly Howard

This just started happening in the last week or so. '''''I do not need help with this. I am posting it in the hopes that it might be of value to others.''''' I was using FF's Login information to view a password for a website, but, when I clicked the "eyeball" to confirm the password, a dialog box popped up... which lead to the loss of over half an hour of my time trying to comply with the request. For the next half hour or so, it refused to accept my FireFox password nor any of the recent FF passwords as I scoured through my multiple pw storage and recovery options. I finally logged out of FF and when I logged back in, FF accepted the FF password that didn't work in the view pw dialog window. I went back to that dialog window and the FF pw still didn't work. I finally noticed that the thumbnail in the dialog window didn't match my FF thumbnail and finally noticed that the dialog box title was "Windows Security" Windows was asking for my '''''windows login password''''' to allow me to view my '''''firefox credentials''''' within '''''firefox'''''. Not sure when or how this happened, but I am pretty sure I viewed a ff pw within the last week or so without this requirement. Hope this info might save time for others who encounter the same request, Beverly Howard
Attached screenshots

Chosen solution

I'm a programmer... I didn't think that etiquette was part of the job description ;-)

This is not rocket science... all that's necessary is to add text near the eyeball telling users that when they click it that they will be asked for their Windows (or Mac) password.

Thanks for all of the responses. Someone click the "solved" button before turning the lights out.

Beverly Howard

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All Replies (7)

McCoy
McCoy
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BevHoward said
I do not need help with this. I am posting it in the hopes that it might be of value to others.

.... and I am going to post this hoping that it might be of value to you.

Would you please read this article :

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/lockwise-password-authentication-prompt

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In case you don't want to see that prompt :

Type in the address bar about:config and press Enter.
(ignore the warning)

Type in the search bar and look for the preference :

signon.management.page.os-auth.enabled

Change its value to false.

Then close and restart Firefox.

(this preference may be removed sometime in the near future )

BevHoward
BevHoward Question owner
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Thanks... that's welcome and valuable information.

Following my post, I find that it's now virtually impossible to export passwords... the last time I did it was using screenshots, which was not my preference, but at least made things "possible"

From a user perspective, the big issue is that these changes are made with no apparent notification to the users nor are they defaulted to "OFF" with the option for the user to turn it "ON" if they need and want the protection.

I understand that clueless users need to be protected from themselves, but doing so by placing significant demands on other users without their knowledge is simply wrong.

>> (this preference may be removed sometime in the near future ) <<

So, it appears that the goal is to assume that all users of firefox are too clueless to think for themselves. Even with that setting changed, there is still no apparent way to recover login info that dates back decades and may cover hundreds if not thousands of entries.

Thanks again, Extremely Frustrated in Austin, Texas

BevHoward
BevHoward Question owner
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Two thoughts that should not be that difficult to justify.

MAKE SURE THE PASSWORD DIALOG WINDOW EXPLICITLY STATES AND CLARIFIES WHICH PASSWORD IS BEING REQUESTED.

Remember, this request happens within FireFox and there is no reason to assume that a password not related to Firefox is being requested.

fwiw, despite the claim on the linked page, the fingerprint reader does not work in that windows dialog box.

Thanks again,

Beverly Howard

McCoy
McCoy
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The people who answer questions here are (for the main part) volunteers,
users just like you, who are trying to help other users in their spare time   (like me).

If you would like to submit feedback;   you can use this link :

https://qsurvey.mozilla.com/s3/FirefoxInput/

BevHoward
BevHoward Question owner
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>> you can use this link <<

Yea, thanks... would be so nice if those guys would spend some time with us unwashed users... they might actually learn things.

Thanks for the link

Beverly Howard

AliceWyman
AliceWyman
  • Moderator
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(FYI)
This question is included as a "See Also" link in Bug 1636032 Some users are confused about which password/PIN to enter in the OS re-auth dialog from about:logins

See Bugzilla Etiquette before commenting in bug reports.

BevHoward
BevHoward Question owner
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Chosen Solution

I'm a programmer... I didn't think that etiquette was part of the job description ;-)

This is not rocket science... all that's necessary is to add text near the eyeball telling users that when they click it that they will be asked for their Windows (or Mac) password.

Thanks for all of the responses. Someone click the "solved" button before turning the lights out.

Beverly Howard