Firefox Password Supervisor quick factsPricing: Free for all Firefox usersKey options:Safe password era.Password auto-fill.Multi-device sync.Password breach alerts.
Mozilla Firefox has a built-in password supervisor that shops and auto-fills account credentials for web sites and on-line apps. It really works a lot the identical as third-party password managers, however many customers marvel if it gives the identical quantity of safety as premium companies.
The quick reply is that, with the precise settings, Firefox Password Supervisor might be simply as safe as some other password supervisor. Nonetheless, like different password managers, there are dangers and downsides to contemplate earlier than trusting it together with your credentials.
On this article, I analyze the protection and safety of Firefox Password Supervisor and examine it to third-party password managers that will help you select the precise possibility.
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What’s Firefox Password Supervisor, and the way does it work?
Firefox Password Supervisor is a characteristic that’s constructed into the Mozilla Firefox browser. Should you’ve ever logged into a web site whereas utilizing Firefox, you’ve seen the pop-up window asking in case you’d like to avoid wasting your username and password.
Firefox Password Supervisor asking to avoid wasting a password. Picture: Nicole Rennolds
The subsequent time you entry that web site, Firefox robotically fills within the credentials. Like different password managers, this performance permits you to create safe and distinctive passwords for each web site with out making an attempt to recollect all of them.
SEE: 5 Finest Password Managers for Android in 2024 (TechRepublic)
The Firefox Desktop software saves your passwords in an encrypted .json file you could simply switch to a brand new laptop if wanted. Should you create a Mozilla account, you can too allow the Sync characteristic, which syncs login credentials between all gadgets you’re logged into. Firefox credentials may also be exported to a .csv file after which imported to Chrome or one other password supervisor.
Firefox sync settings. Picture: Nicole Rennolds
Is Firefox Password Supervisor safe?
Firefox Password Supervisor is basically simply as safe as some other password supervisor, which implies the safety varies relying on configuration settings and consumer conduct.
Most password managers require customers to create a “grasp password” that they have to periodically enter earlier than they’ll save or autofill any extra credentials. The frequency at which customers should re-enter the grasp password varies, with some password managers letting you customise the timeout interval. The extra continuously it’s important to confirm your identification, the safer the password supervisor might be. And, clearly, a extra complicated grasp password might be harder for hackers to guess or brute power.
SEE: Are Password Managers Protected to Use? (TechRepublic)
By default, Firefox Password Supervisor doesn’t require a grasp password. Credentials are encrypted on the native machine, however the browser will proceed auto-filling passwords even when your system is stolen. Nonetheless, Firefox has added the “Main Password” characteristic, which is their model of a grasp password. When enabled, this characteristic requires customers to enter their main password each time they exit and re-open the browser.
The pop-up window to enter the Firefox Main Password. Picture: Nicole Rennolds
The Firefox Main Password characteristic is simply as safe as some other grasp password. If somebody is ready to guess your main password — or in case you write it down someplace, or in any other case give another person entry to it — they’ve free rein to make use of your credentials on any system you’ve synced together with your Firefox account.
Firefox doesn’t retailer any of your credentials within the cloud, and the Mozilla group by no means sees them, although the Firefox desktop shopper does regionally decrypt the logins.json file to auto-fill passwords. Native storage and decryption lower the probability of your passwords being uncovered if Mozilla (or one in all its third-party distributors) suffers a breach. Nonetheless, in case your Firefox desktop shopper or native machine is breached, a hacker might theoretically acquire entry to your credentials.
How safe is Mozilla Firefox?
The obvious weak level for a browser password supervisor is the browser itself. Not solely might a cybercriminal exploit vulnerabilities within the browser shopper, however they might additionally goal one of many many third-party browser extensions that customers set up to achieve additional performance.
When in comparison with the opposite hottest browsers — Chrome, Edge, and Safari — Firefox could be very safe. It consists of superior securities like phishing and malware safety, knowledge breach monitoring, and HTTPS-only mode.
SEE: Courageous vs Firefox: Which Browser Is Finest for You? (TechRepublic)
Mozilla can also be a non-profit group that, usually talking, does extra to guard consumer privateness than different browsers. Firefox solely collects private knowledge for technical help and have enchancment functions, and this may be simply disabled within the Privateness & Safety settings.
Firefox’s knowledge assortment and utilization settings. Picture: Nicole Rennolds
Different superior privateness options embody enhanced monitoring safety, DNS over HTTPS, and fingerprinting safety to warn about web sites amassing monitoring knowledge.
I exploit Firefox as my main browser as a result of it’s the one one I belief with my private data. It additionally lets me hold my adblocker enabled whereas I watch YouTube movies and go to different websites that sometimes don’t help adblocking.
So long as you retain your browser up to date to make sure vulnerabilities are patched, and also you restrict your third-party extension use to a couple trusted suppliers, then Mozilla Firefox is as secure and safe as you may get in a free, well-supported browser shopper.
Extra about Cloud Safety
Firefox Password Supervisor options
Firefox Password Supervisor is missing in among the bonus security measures which can be typically included in third-party options, so it’s essential to contemplate your entire choices earlier than making a choice. I examined three different password managers to see how they in contrast.
FeaturesFirefox Password ManagerBitwardenNordPassKeeper
Supported platformsFirefox browser on Home windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, iOS, AndroidFirefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera, Courageous, Vivaldi, Tor, DuckDuckGo browsers on Home windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, iOS, AndroidFirefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Edge browsers on Home windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, AndroidFirefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Edge browsers on Home windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Free versionYesYesYesYes
Password breach MonitoringYesYesPremium onlyAdd-on
Two-factor authenticationNoYesYesYes
Password well being reportsNoYesPremium onlyNo
Biometric loginNoYesYesNo
Go to BitwardenVisit NordPassVisit Keeper
Bitwarden: Finest total password supervisor various to Firefox Password Supervisor
Bitwarden gives a complete free password supervisor resolution for customers who want extra safety capabilities with out the standard price ticket. It gives functions for practically any working system and browser, together with Tor and DuckDuckGo for extremely privacy-minded people or these like myself who conduct analysis on the darkish net. Like Firefox, it additionally syncs throughout a limiteless variety of gadgets.
SEE: 5 Finest Free Password Managers for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Different key options embody alerts if one in all your passwords is present in a breach, well being stories offering suggestions for bettering the safety of present account credentials, and two-factor authentication with biometric login choices. Total, Bitwarden gives top-of-the-line and most trusted free password managers on the market.
NordPass: Most safe various to Firefox Password Supervisor
NordPass is a password supervisor resolution from Nord Safety, makers of the favored NordVPN service. NordPass gives a free model that features 2FA and biometric logins, or you’ll be able to improve to a premium plan to achieve password breach monitoring and well being stories.
NordPass makes use of XChaCh20 encryption to guard your credentials, the strongest encryption algorithm accessible in a client password supervisor. Plus, all Nord merchandise are backed by among the strictest privateness insurance policies within the trade, which have been independently validated 4 occasions. These measures make NordPass one of many most secure password managers in the marketplace.
SEE: Is a VPN Actually Value It in 2024? (TechRepublic)
Keeper: Finest various to Firefox Password Supervisor for companies
Keeper gives a full suite of safety options for companies, however its password supervisor can also be accessible for customers and as a free app. Keeper makes use of zero-trust and zero-knowledge encryption to maintain credentials safe. Upgraded plans embody capabilities like limitless password sharing, safe cloud backups, and centralized visibility and management over firm password vaults.
Keeper additionally gives password supervisor options custom-tailored to the wants of particular industries like the general public sector, managed service suppliers, and enormous enterprises. For instance, the Keeper Safety Authorities Cloud password supervisor is FedRAMP and StateRAMP approved, whereas KeeperMSP delivers enhanced reporting instruments that may be filtered by shopper.
SEE: 4 Totally different Sorts of VPNs & When to Use Them (TechRepublic)
Must you use Firefox Password Supervisor?
Firefox Password Supervisor prosFirefox Password Supervisor cons
Free and robotically included within the Firefox browser.Doesn’t robotically sync throughout different browsers.
Supplies similar (or higher) safety as third-party password managers.Doesn’t present as many additional options as premium companies.
Robotically syncs credentials throughout all gadgets with the Firefox browser.Suffers from similar vulnerabilities as different password managers.
Total, Firefox Password Supervisor is a good free resolution in case you want primary performance and primarily entry the web with the Firefox browser on your entire gadgets. I like that it retains my passwords regionally encrypted on my system moderately than within the cloud. I additionally admire the Main Password characteristic that requires authorization with every new shopping session, although some may need they might set an extended time-out interval for comfort.
SEE: Why Your Enterprise Wants Cybersecurity Consciousness Coaching (TechRepublic Premium)
As a browser password supervisor, it doesn’t embody all the additional privateness and security measures that you just’ll get with a premium service. It additionally doesn’t robotically sync your account data throughout different varieties of browsers, which might get irritating in case you, say, use Firefox in your laptop computer however Safari in your iPhone. That mentioned, Mozilla Firefox is a safe browser that’s well-supported by most main web sites, functions, and gadgets, so I like to recommend overcoming this limitation by making the swap to Firefox as your main browser on all platforms.