Require a password to open thunderbird.

You need to specify MORE information before anyone can advise. Maybe if you post complete error message, we may have an idea of whatever is the concern. Thank you.

Require a password to open thunderbird: if Thunderbird is not currently running, such as after a reboot require a password to launch Thunderbird so anyone who reboots my computer cannot launch Thunderbird. Even better, Thunderbird closes after a specified time period and a password is required to relaunch the app.

No error message.

Is this a question or a command? If a question, the answer is, 'this not a feature available in Thunderbird.' Seems to me it would be something the operating system would control, and indeed, you can force most or all OSs to require a password upon boot-up or after a timeout period.

If this is a command, you'd be better off making making it here:

https://connect.mozilla.org/

Thunderbird already offers a primary password that must be entered prior to using Thunderbird. See settings>privacy&security

Oops, sorry I butted in with misleading information. I hadn't actually tried that feature until now. It may or may not do what the OP is looking for, though, since it doesn't really you lock you out of the program, just out of "some sensitive information like logins and passwords."