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Yes, it just works; but a few days back all my devices suddenly lost almost all of the passwords. Not all but most of them, couldn't make out any pattern or rea

Yes, it just works; but a few days back all my devices suddenly lost almost all of the passwords. Not all but most of them, couldn't make out any pattern or reason. Luckily a Linux laptop that I don't usually use had the full set and I had to export them, sync, and import them back to restore everywhere. Very scary, any ideas why this could've happened? I immediately backed up for the future, but this kind of loss should not be happening.

sherr 3y ago
No idea. I've been using Firefox and Sync for years, currently on 5 devices (one android). Never had a problem. Firefox 121.0 (64-bit). This is the "release" channel. Maybe you're beta testing?
- xrd 3y ago
  Me too. It is so flawless that I had forgotten how good it works until seeing this article pointing that fact out.
  - stavros 3y ago
    Same, I've been using Firefox for years and it's always just worked. Recently it got faster, too, now sending tabs between devices is instant.
- herdcall 3y ago
  You know what, you could be onto something. I'm using the Firefox Developer version (122.0b3 64 bit). In any case, how are the differences resolved? E.g., in my recent case, all the devices ended up with only a handful of passwords (17), whereas the Linux laptop had 858. When I brought that laptop online (after exporting them), it synced and also ended up with the 17. I wonder what the logic was to deduce that the 17 are the ones to keep and the 858 should be deleted (there are some common ones of course). Because after sync when I imported the 858 back, it kept them all and synced them to all other devices, so it considered them as additions that should be kept.
jcpst 3y ago
This just happened to me too. Checked my linux machine and they were there. Backed em up. What the heck
ishanjain28 3y ago
is it a good idea to use password managers built into web browsers? (vs using a password manager from some third party? bw/1p)
- gchamonlive 3y ago
  I don't think so, but since browsers offer this option it should be extremely stable.
- the_pwner224 3y ago
  I used Firefox's password manager for a long time but eventually switched to KeePass which is FOSS and not cloud based. It's much better than the browser builtin password managers. I store the .kdbx file in Syncthing (== Dropbox) so it automagically syncs between all my computers and phones. Use the KeepassXC app on computers along with their browser plugins, and the KeepassDX app on Android (idk about iOS). One advantage of this is that the passwords work across all browsers. If you use FF's password manager, you only get passwords available in Firefox; but with Keepass they work in FF & Chrome & for native android apps & etc. And with the browser plugins it works about as well as the browser's native password managers. It also has support for TOTP 2 factor authentication. Also I can easily make a copy of the .kdbx file (literally just ctrl-c ctrl-v the file) to save archives of my password db. (That said, over years of having the database open across multiple devices and editing it while open on multiple devices, it's never gotten corrupted)
  - ddhhyy 3y ago
    Similar workflow here. On iOS I use Keepassium, which can access files on Dropbox, so it can read and write to the master password file there, which then propagates to the other machines with Dropbox installed.
- athreyac8 3y ago
  I use BitWarden pretty good
  - ParetoOptimal 3y ago
wazoox 3y ago
Weird, I'm using Firefox across 6 different devices, different OSes (Android, MacOS, various Linux distros) and different versions (current or LTS) and it just works.
- neves 3y ago
  Unfortunately my company blocks the sync password feature :-(
  - ta1243 3y ago
    A reasonable policy given the lack of control. What do they provide you with as an approved password manager?
    - s1artibartfast 3y ago
      Notepad
      - munk-a 3y ago
        The notepad application or a pad of sticky notes with which to decorate your monitor with the halo of arcane sigils known to ward off security breaches?
        s1artibartfast 3y ago
        Both. I like to keep a file in notepad updated with all my corporate passwords, which I then print and post on the wall by my monitor. I also use a label maker to fix the login credentials for shared computers on the backside of their keyboards. I suspect people like me are the reason my firm is trying so hard to migrate to single sign in instead of dozens of unique passwords which require updates
        ta1243 3y ago
        > I also use a label maker to fix the login credentials for shared computers on the backside of their keyboards. That's not terrible, depends on the level of physical security you have > which I then print and post on the wall by my monitor. That's pretty bad any any passing person or camera can see them > Both. I like to keep a file in notepad updated with all my corporate passwords That's the worst of your 3 methods though, but for many attacks is more secure in practice than using chrome/google sharing, especially if the file isn't called "password.txt" or similar.
michaelcampbell 3y ago
> this kind of loss should not be happening It should not, but you probably should also not be keeping your passwords (only) there, encrypted or no.

sherr 3y ago

No idea. I've been using Firefox and Sync for years, currently on 5 devices (one android). Never had a problem. Firefox 121.0 (64-bit). This is the "release" channel. Maybe you're beta testing?

xrd 3y ago
Me too. It is so flawless that I had forgotten how good it works until seeing this article pointing that fact out.
- stavros 3y ago
  Same, I've been using Firefox for years and it's always just worked. Recently it got faster, too, now sending tabs between devices is instant.
herdcall 3y ago
You know what, you could be onto something. I'm using the Firefox Developer version (122.0b3 64 bit). In any case, how are the differences resolved? E.g., in my recent case, all the devices ended up with only a handful of passwords (17), whereas the Linux laptop had 858. When I brought that laptop online (after exporting them), it synced and also ended up with the 17. I wonder what the logic was to deduce that the 17 are the ones to keep and the 858 should be deleted (there are some common ones of course). Because after sync when I imported the 858 back, it kept them all and synced them to all other devices, so it considered them as additions that should be kept.

jcpst 3y ago

This just happened to me too. Checked my linux machine and they were there. Backed em up. What the heck

ishanjain28 3y ago

is it a good idea to use password managers built into web browsers? (vs using a password manager from some third party? bw/1p)

gchamonlive 3y ago
I don't think so, but since browsers offer this option it should be extremely stable.
the_pwner224 3y ago
I used Firefox's password manager for a long time but eventually switched to KeePass which is FOSS and not cloud based. It's much better than the browser builtin password managers. I store the .kdbx file in Syncthing (== Dropbox) so it automagically syncs between all my computers and phones. Use the KeepassXC app on computers along with their browser plugins, and the KeepassDX app on Android (idk about iOS). One advantage of this is that the passwords work across all browsers. If you use FF's password manager, you only get passwords available in Firefox; but with Keepass they work in FF & Chrome & for native android apps & etc. And with the browser plugins it works about as well as the browser's native password managers. It also has support for TOTP 2 factor authentication. Also I can easily make a copy of the .kdbx file (literally just ctrl-c ctrl-v the file) to save archives of my password db. (That said, over years of having the database open across multiple devices and editing it while open on multiple devices, it's never gotten corrupted)
- ddhhyy 3y ago
  Similar workflow here. On iOS I use Keepassium, which can access files on Dropbox, so it can read and write to the master password file there, which then propagates to the other machines with Dropbox installed.
athreyac8 3y ago
I use BitWarden pretty good
- ParetoOptimal 3y ago

wazoox 3y ago

Weird, I'm using Firefox across 6 different devices, different OSes (Android, MacOS, various Linux distros) and different versions (current or LTS) and it just works.

neves 3y ago
Unfortunately my company blocks the sync password feature :-(
- ta1243 3y ago
  A reasonable policy given the lack of control. What do they provide you with as an approved password manager?
  - s1artibartfast 3y ago
    Notepad
    - munk-a 3y ago
      The notepad application or a pad of sticky notes with which to decorate your monitor with the halo of arcane sigils known to ward off security breaches?
      - s1artibartfast 3y ago
        Both. I like to keep a file in notepad updated with all my corporate passwords, which I then print and post on the wall by my monitor. I also use a label maker to fix the login credentials for shared computers on the backside of their keyboards. I suspect people like me are the reason my firm is trying so hard to migrate to single sign in instead of dozens of unique passwords which require updates
        ta1243 3y ago
        > I also use a label maker to fix the login credentials for shared computers on the backside of their keyboards. That's not terrible, depends on the level of physical security you have > which I then print and post on the wall by my monitor. That's pretty bad any any passing person or camera can see them > Both. I like to keep a file in notepad updated with all my corporate passwords That's the worst of your 3 methods though, but for many attacks is more secure in practice than using chrome/google sharing, especially if the file isn't called "password.txt" or similar.

michaelcampbell 3y ago

> this kind of loss should not be happening It should not, but you probably should also not be keeping your passwords (only) there, encrypted or no.