Privacy & Security Preferences - Web Passwords

This section describes how to use the Web Passwords panel. If you are not already viewing the panel, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Edit menu and choose Preferences.
  2. Under the Privacy & Security category, choose Web Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click the category to expand the list.)

 

Password Manager

Password Manager stores your user names and passwords on your computer's hard disk and enters them for you automatically when you visit the sites that require them. For detailed information about using Password Manager, including how to override it for individual sites and how to view and manage stored passwords, see Using the Password Manager

To activate Password Manager so that it automatically stores your user names and passwords and enters them for you as necessary, select the checkbox in the Web Passwords panel labeled "Remember passwords for sites that require me to log in."

To turn off Password Manager, deselect the same checkbox.

 

Encrypting Versus Obscuring

If you use Password Manager or Form Manager to save passwords and personal data, then this sensitive information is stored on your computer in a file that's difficult, but not impossible, for an intruder to read. This way of storing information is sometimes described as "obscuring."

For improved protection, you may want to protect the file with encryption. Encryption makes it nearly impossible for an unauthorized person to view your stored sensitive information.

To turn on encryption for sensitive information stored on your computer, select the checkbox in the Web Passwords panel labeled "Use encryption when storing sensitive data." If you have not previously set a master password, you will be asked to create one. To do so, follow the instructions as they appear on your screen. For an overview of the steps involved, see Encrypting Stored Sensitive Information.

To turn off encryption for sensitive information, so that it is obscured but not encrypted, deselect the checkbox.

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Privacy & Security Preferences - Master Passwords

This section describes how to use the Master Passwords panel. If you are not already viewing the panel, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Edit menu and choose Preferences.
  2. Under the Privacy & Security category, choose Master Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click the category to expand the list.)

 

In this section:

Change Master Password

Master Password Timout

 

Change Master Password

A master password protects a security device, which is a software or hardware device that stores sensitive information associated with your identity, such as keys or certificates. For example, the browser has a built-in Software Security Device, and you can also use external security devices, such as smart cards, if your computer is configured to use them.

The master password for the browser's built-in Software Security Device protects your master key. Your master key is used to encrypt sensitive information such as email passwords, web site passwords, and other data stored by the Password Manager and Form Manager.

To set or change any of your master passwords, click the Change Password button in the Master Passwords preferences panel (or open the Tasks menu, then choose Privacy & Security, Password Manager, and Change Master Password).

You can then use the Set Master Password dialog box to provide the following information:

If someone uses your computer who knows or can guess your master password, that person may be able to access web sites while pretending to be you. This can be dangerous—for example, if you manage your financial accounts over the Internet.

Therefore, it's important to select a master password that's difficult to guess. The password quality meter gives you a rough idea of the quality of your password as you type it based on factors such as length and the use of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For further guidelines, see the online document Choosing a Good Password.

It's also important to record your master password in a safe place—and not anywhere that's easily accessible to someone else. If you forget this password, you may not be able to access important information, such as web sites that require passwords or certificates stored on your computer.

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Master Password Timeout

If you are using the Password Manager but are not using certificates, and if you have set a master password, the browser will ask you to enter the password only when the newly launched browser first uses the Password Manager or Form Manager to fill in personal information.

If you are using personal certificates, you can control how often the browser requests your master password. Here are some things you should consider when selecting these options:

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8/31/2001

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