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Natao arisiva ity resaka mitohy ity. Mametraha fanontaniana azafady raha mila fanampiana.

is it ok to have master password in encrypted home folder, i.e. double encrypted?

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  • Valiny farany nomen'i linuxuser23

linuxuser23
linuxuser23
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I am using a Firefox master password on a Linux os - I assume the master pw is stored in my Home folder (which is where my FF profile is stored). My question is: if I were to use the option in Linux to encrypt my Home folder, would that cause problems in my access to / or use of Firefox password manager?

I am using a Firefox master password on a Linux os - I assume the master pw is stored in my Home folder (which is where my FF profile is stored). My question is: if I were to use the option in Linux to encrypt my Home folder, would that cause problems in my access to / or use of Firefox password manager?

Vahaolana nofidina

Hi

Great question, hope I can help.

First off, it is worth mentioning that before encrypting a home folder that a full backup is taken just in case things go wrong.

Earlier this year, I was travelling overseas and was taking my laptop with me. I reinstalled a Ubuntu based distro and ticked the box to encrypt my Home folder and (when I installed my files, including my Firefox profile) I was still able to make use of the Firefox password manager.

(Where I went wrong was on returning and removing the need to ask for a password on login, which Ubuntu still needs to unencrypt files - this is a Ubuntu issue but did lead to a frantic command line workaround to access files using my password.)

So, in answer to your question, yes it should work fine, but make sure you have a full backup (and a distro on a USB stick) just in case you need to rebuild. In theory you should be okay (certainly based on my experience), but there are too many Linux distros to provide a concrete answer.

Hamaky an'ity valiny ity @ sehatra 👍 1

All Replies (2)

Paul
Paul
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Vahaolana Nofidina

Hi

Great question, hope I can help.

First off, it is worth mentioning that before encrypting a home folder that a full backup is taken just in case things go wrong.

Earlier this year, I was travelling overseas and was taking my laptop with me. I reinstalled a Ubuntu based distro and ticked the box to encrypt my Home folder and (when I installed my files, including my Firefox profile) I was still able to make use of the Firefox password manager.

(Where I went wrong was on returning and removing the need to ask for a password on login, which Ubuntu still needs to unencrypt files - this is a Ubuntu issue but did lead to a frantic command line workaround to access files using my password.)

So, in answer to your question, yes it should work fine, but make sure you have a full backup (and a distro on a USB stick) just in case you need to rebuild. In theory you should be okay (certainly based on my experience), but there are too many Linux distros to provide a concrete answer.

linuxuser23
linuxuser23 Tompon'ny fanontaniana
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Thanks Seburo, and also for the tip re login and decrypting files.

I am using Linux Lite, Ubuntu-based. I do have back-up set to run!

Hopefully Home folder encryption will add a layer of security to FF password manager/master passw. Though I suppose when I'm logged in the folder is unencrypted anyway! Hmm.