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Are download .part files deleted or wiped at end of download?

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 16 views
  • Last reply by Shadow110

phaecops
phaecops
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When Firefox downloads a file it creates a temporary .part file and stores all the downloaded data into this file. When the download completes the .part file is deleted and all the data downloaded appears in a new file with the real name of the file.

What happens to the data in the temporary .part file? Does it still remain on the hard disk after it is copied to the actual file and deleted or is it wiped clean?

When Firefox downloads a file it creates a temporary .part file and stores all the downloaded data into this file. When the download completes the .part file is deleted and all the data downloaded appears in a new file with the real name of the file. What happens to the data in the temporary .part file? Does it still remain on the hard disk after it is copied to the actual file and deleted or is it wiped clean?

All Replies (3)

Shadow110
Shadow110
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Please consider turning on send info to Mozilla before posting a question. This helps us help you.

.Part files are deleted. As far as I know, I have never seen one in a temp folder before/ever. Or it is converted to the finished file name. Firefox will automatically remove that .part addition once the download has finished. If the download is stopped it may be possible to resume from the .part file. That is part (no pun) of why it is created.

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

Modified by Shadow110

phaecops
phaecops Question owner
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The problem is that even when browsing in private mode the download is forensically unsafe since the downloaded data still exists on the hard drive after it is deleted. The solution to this problem is for Firefox to rename the .part file to the downloaded file name OR copy the .part file to the actual file then wipe the .part file. Until this is accomplished Firefox has a very usefull forensic exploit weakness that I will inform the forensic forums of immediately.

Shadow110
Shadow110
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By the way you are messaging with Firefox Volunteer Support, we are not staff.

.Part files are deleted. As far as I know, I have never seen one in a temp folder before/ever. Or it is converted to the finished file name like a lot of programs do.

May want to go here and find out more : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/where-go-developer-support

Modified by Shadow110