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Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords

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On 04.08.2021 05:03, Douglas McGarrett wrote:
>
>
> On 7/19/21 1:15 AM, Alexander V. Makartsev wrote:
>> On 19.07.2021 05:13, wix@mgssub.com wrote:
>>> I installed tbird 78.12.0 (64-bit)
>>>  and it can't find my email passwords. I have browsed signons.sqlite
>>>  and the passwords seem to be there in the middle of the db. I have 
>>> tried to install a prior version of tbird but dpkg has thwarted 
>>> those efforts so far! Any other ideas suggestions would be appreciated!
>>>
>>> Many TIA!
>>> Dennis
>> If you didn't setup "Master Password" in ThunderBird, you can try 
>> "Mail PassView" utility from NirSoft. [1]
>> It works with WINE.
>> If password database files were not corrupted somehow, it will show 
>> stored accounts and passwords from TB profile.
>>
>>
>> [1] https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/mailpv.html
> I recently downloaded and installed T/B after having lost the use of 
> it a couple of months ago when it refused
> to recognize my password or any new one. Now it is working, and I hope 
> it continues. At any rate, I did not see
> anything about a Master Password. What is it, and where is it, and 
> should I need it?
> --doug
I've never had any issues with T/B, but I've seen complains from other 
people multiple times about password-related problems.
Which could be explained by not so smooth automatic migration from old 
password storage database format to a new one.
I usually delay updates installation for T/B and other business-critical 
software by a few weeks or so, and that could be the reason I've avoided 
said issues so far.

Passwords and account information in T/B (and other Mozilla software?) 
are stored in an reversible-encrypted state by default.
So, for an example, if T/B profile and password DB files were stolen by 
malware they could be decrypted effortlessly using forensic utilities, 
like "Mail PassView".
A "Master password" feature protects password DB files by adding 
additional layer of encryption, which could be decrypted only if you use 
a master password.
So, in the same scenario I've described above, even if badguys will 
steal a profile files with password DB files, they won't be able to 
decrypt them easily without master password and will have to use 
time-consuming "bruteforce" techniques to get it.

The only inconvenience of master password feature, once you enable it, 
you will have to enter it each time you launch a T/B session and every 
time you will want to see saved passwords in plain text.
The ordinary EMail functions, like sending and receiving, won't be 
affected by it.

-- 
With kindest regards, Alexander.

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Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords "Alexander V. Makartsev" <avbetev@gmail.com> - 2021-07-19 07:20 +0200
  Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords Douglas McGarrett <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2021-08-04 02:30 +0200
    Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords Keith Bainbridge <ke1thrboz@gmx.com> - 2021-08-04 03:00 +0200
      Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@panix.com> - 2021-08-04 03:30 +0200
    Re: Help! Thunderbird lost my passwords "Alexander V. Makartsev" <avbetev@gmail.com> - 2021-08-04 12:30 +0200

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