Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I need some help to understand primary password timeout please

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

more options

Hello there,

I am trying to better myself in terms of security do's and don'ts and one thing I don't understand

The primary password is for encrypting/guarding the files which store my logins, correct?

After unlocking with my primary password the files are no longer encrypted/guarded and I can use my logins but another party could snatch them as well?

Now here is the thing, I thought there was a setting in about:config as default so the password timeouts after 15 minutes, I looked and it was there and I didnt touch it and I dont use any extensions which tamper with sessions or passwords

But I don't have to retype my primary password the whole day normally, only when I close and reopen Firefox? How can it still have access to my logins all day? And is that bad like are all my logins unencrypted in my RAM or something?

Thank you for your time and for reading

Hello there, I am trying to better myself in terms of security do's and don'ts and one thing I don't understand The primary password is for encrypting/guarding the files which store my logins, correct? After unlocking with my primary password the files are no longer encrypted/guarded and I can use my logins but another party could snatch them as well? Now here is the thing, I thought there was a setting in about:config as default so the password timeouts after 15 minutes, I looked and it was there and I didnt touch it and I dont use any extensions which tamper with sessions or passwords But I don't have to retype my primary password the whole day normally, only when I close and reopen Firefox? How can it still have access to my logins all day? And is that bad like are all my logins unencrypted in my RAM or something? Thank you for your time and for reading

All Replies (1)

more options

You can cancel a PP prompt like you get if you click the eye icon to reveal the password to logout and lock the logins. There is no timeout apart from asking for the PP if you want to inspect a password in Lockwise, but you can force this by closing Lockwise (i.e. if you close and reopen Lockwise then you will be prompted once again when you inspect a password).