How are Firefox Passwords Encrypted?

Firefox encrypts your saved passwords directly on your computer within your user profile directory.

Understanding Firefox Password Encryption

According to recent information, Firefox Desktop encrypts your stored passwords locally. This encryption process uses a specific file within your profile and applies a layer of "simple cryptography" to "obscure" the credentials.

Here's a breakdown of how it works:

• Local Storage: Passwords are not stored remotely by default. They reside entirely on your local machine within your Firefox user profile folder.
• The logins.json File: The primary file responsible for storing your login information, including usernames and obscured passwords, is named logins.json.
• Simple Cryptography: Firefox employs what is described as "simple cryptography" primarily to obscure the passwords stored in the logins.json file. This method aims to prevent casual viewing of your passwords directly in the file.

While this local encryption and obfuscation add a layer of protection, it's important to understand that the security relies heavily on the security of your user account on the computer itself.

Key Aspects of Firefox Password Storage

Here are the essential points regarding how Firefox handles saved passwords:

• Data is stored in the user's profile directory.
• The main file used is logins.json.
• "Simple cryptography" is used to obscure the passwords.

It's worth noting that while the reference mentions "simple cryptography to obscure," Firefox does utilize more robust encryption when a Master Password is set. However, based strictly on the provided information, the core mechanism described involves local storage in logins.json with simple obfuscation.

This local approach means your password security in Firefox is closely tied to the security of the computer itself. Access to your user profile folder can potentially expose your saved login data, especially if a strong master password isn't used.