See if any of these help; https://www.ghacks.net/2018/07/18/how-to-export-firefox-passwords-in-firefox-57/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/passwordfox.html (Win) PasswordFox v1.58 - Extract the usernames/passwords stored in Firefox Copyright (c) 2008 - 2017 Nir Sofer

Note: Some anti-virus show false positive. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Easily export your passwords from Firefox. https://github.com/kspearrin/ff-password-exporter

Export your passwords from Firefox in a portable CSV or JSON format. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3 Tools to Decrypt and Recover Passwords Saved in Firefox • Raymond CC https://www.raymond.cc/blog/how-to-find-hidden-passwords-in-firefox/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ https://www.ghacks.net/2018/07/18/how-to-export-firefox-passwords-in-firefox-57/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ https://github.com/kspearrin/ff-password-exporter

In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.

Did you backup the previous version of key4.db and possibly key3.db before trying to change the master password? If you change the MP even if it is the same MP then you likely get a new key file that is no longer compatible and that can't decrypt the logins.json file.

cor-el said

Did you backup the previous version of key4.db and possibly key3.db before trying to change the master password? If you change the MP even if it is the same MP then you likely get a new key file that is no longer compatible and that can't decrypt the logins.json file.

I only have a key3.db and no key4.db (I'm using FF 60.6 on Centos), but I made a backup of both logins.json and key3.db before I did anything. The strange thing is whan I found out there was a problem (because I was sure I already saved a login and yet FF asked for a password), there were 5 new logins already saved without a MP. These are the only logins I can see in FF itself, in the logins.json I can see all URL's (but no logins or passwords because they are all encrypted). At this point I made a backup of both files before doing anything else.

FredMcD said

See if any of these help; https://www.ghacks.net/2018/07/18/how-to-export-firefox-passwords-in-firefox-57/

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In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.

Unfortunately I do not run Windows and ff-exporter works with key4.db only (which for some reason I do not have, even though I'm using FF 60). I did find and tried these myself already to no avail.

I do prefer FF to save the logins for me, as I never had a problem with this before (using FireFox for more than a decade).

You need to remove an existing key4.db and only place logins.json and key3.db in the profile folder to make Firefox fallback to key3.db. Firefox will create a new key4.db that might work in case logins.json and key3.db match. You may have to remove pkcs11.txt and secmode.db as well.

cor-el said

You need to remove an existing key4.db and only place logins.json and key3.db in the profile folder to make Firefox fallback to key3.db. Firefox will create a new key4.db that might work in case logins.json and key3.db match. You may have to remove pkcs11.txt and secmode.db as well.

There was no key4.db, but removing secmod.db (I don't have a pkcs11.txt) and putting the version of key3.db back in the profile folder still only showed the 5 new entries added (and no MP used). It looks like the key3.db I saved was already a wrong one :(

Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox? Look inside. Look for the folder with the latest creation date.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-run-firefox-when-profile-missing-inaccessible

FredMcD said

Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox? Look inside. Look for the folder with the latest creation date.

Unfortunately I don't have a folder like that on my desktop. I'm still using the same profile folder I have been using for 5 years now and I do see all the old saved logins in my login.json file. I just do not see them in firefox (preferences) anymore.

I seem to have missed some information you posted above. If you were able to save new passwords without being asked for the master password then it is likely that a new key3.db already was created before you backed up the two files.

Did you ever created a backup of the profile folder in the past that includes key3.db and logins.json or signons.sqlite used previously ?

cor-el said

I seem to have missed some information you posted above. If you were able to save new passwords without being asked for the master password then it is likely that a new key3.db already was created before you backed up the two files. Did you ever created a backup of the profile folder in the past that includes key3.db and logins.json or signons.sqlite used previously ?

I am getting the same feeling. It looks like FF decided the key3.db was corrupt and replaced it for a new one. So all passwords added after the crash are 'protected' with the new key3.db (using an empty password as I understand). I'm afraid I do not have a backup of the old key3.db from just before the crash. I do have a really old one, but that one is probably from before using a MP ;( Is there any way to rebuild the key3.db matching the logins.json? Of course I know the contents for some of the encrypted data.

Unless you have a backup somewhere . . . . .