Mozilla releases Firefox Lockwise (formerly Lockbox) add-on

[Karlston]

Mozilla releases Firefox Lockwise (formerly Lockbox) add-on

Remember Firefox Lockbox, a password management solution designed to improve the built-in Firefox password manager? The service is still in active development but it is now called Firefox Lockwise instead.

 

Mozilla launched an alpha of Firefox Lockbox back in December 2017 as a Firefox add-on to test and improve password management and online security.

 

The organization released the Lockbox application for iOS in July 2018, and we took a first look at the Android Lockbox app in 2019 when it was released officially.

Firefox Lockwise

 

Firefox Lockwise is a password management solution that is available for iOS and Android devices, and now also as a Firefox add-on.

 

The Firefox web browser includes a password manager and users may use it to sync passwords between Firefox installations so that the passwords can be used in all Firefox installations.

 

Firefox Lockwise is an experimental solution that brings Firefox passwords to Android and iOS devices. The system uses Firefox Sync and requires a Firefox Account because of that.

 

The core differences between syncing Firefox passwords between Firefox installations on the desktop and on mobile, and Firefox Lockwise are that Lockwise supports global auto-fill of passwords on the mobile device, and that it comes without any editing options.

 

If things go well, Firefox Lockwise could replace the current password management solution that is built-in to the Firefox browser. For now, it is available as an extra that Firefox users need to install to use.

 

Please note that Lockwise does not work if a master password is set currently.

 

The Lockwise add-on for Firefox replaces the built-in password manager when you install it. When you launch the password manager in Firefox, you get the Lockwise interface instead of the classic interface.

 

The add-on adds an icon to the main Firefox toolbar that you may interact with. The frontend supports two main features currently:

1. It highlights if logins are available for the active site so that you may use these to sign in.
2. It features a search to find passwords.

You may copy username and password using the interface.

 

The password management options provide more options than the mobile Lockwise applications.

 

 

You may use the interface to find, delete, copy, create, and edit passwords. All existing passwords are listed on the left; Lockwise picks up any passwords currently stored by Firefox automatically provided that a master password has not been set.

 

You may select any of these and edit or delete the data set. Other options include launching the linked web address, or copying the username or password to the clipboard of the operating system.

 

Passwords can only be typed manually, there is no option to generate a password based on certain parameters such as length or charset.

 

One difference to the built-in password manager is that Lockwise does not support any import options at the time.

Closing Words

Lockwise may replace the built-in password manager of the Firefox web browser eventually. For now, it is an option that users may install on their devices. Its main advantage right now is that it adds auto-fill on mobile devices that works system-wide, the disadvantage that it does not support master passwords or imports.

 

Source: Mozilla releases Firefox Lockwise (formerly Lockbox) add-on (gHacks - Martin Brinkmann)

 

[Karlston]

Firefox Lockwise Aims to Revamp Browser Password Management

 

 

Mozilla is rebranding their LockBox password management service under the Lockwise name and getting ready to start a trial for the desktop versions of Firefox.

 

LockBox is a password management service that allows Mozilla users to synchronize their saved browser login credentials between iOS, Android, and the desktop versions of Firefox and stand-alone mobile apps.

 

With the upcoming trial on the desktop, Mozilla is rebranding the service under the Lockwise name and launching a redesigned password management service for the desktop versions of Firefox. This will allow Mozilla to offer a self-contained in-browser password management service that does not rely on third-party software.

 

While Mozilla is not ready to comment on this service, information can be pieced together by various bug reports [1, 2] that indicate Mozilla will be rebranding the service starting tomorrow, May 21st. 

 

Mozilla has also already started, or will soon start, recruiting members using a promotion that is shown below. This promotion is not quite ready as the Lockwise button text appears to still be missing.

Firefox Lockwise Promotion

When clicking on the Lockwise button, you will be brought to the https://lockwise.firefox.com/ page, which is currently promoting the iOS and Android versions of the service.

Desktop study conducted through addon

The desktop study will be conducted using a Firefox Lockwise extension that will be installed into a participant's Firefox for desktop browser and is only available using Firefox 67 and later.

Firefox Lockwise Extension

When the extension is installed, the normal Logins and Passwords page will be transformed into the new Firefox Lockwise password management service as seen below.

Firefox Lockwise for Desktop

When logging into a site, Firefox will ask if you wish to save the credentials. If you allow it to, the saved credentials will be shown in the Firefox Lockwise page.

Saved Credentials

The Firefox Lockwise addon will also allow you to add new credentials manually by clicking on the New Login button.

Create New Login

When new credentials are stored in Lockwise, they will automatically be synchronized with a user's Mozilla account, which will then push the credentials to the LockBox for Android and iOS apps.

 

Firefox is hoping to have this feature ready for release by Firefox 68 or 69, but if you want to try it now in the Firefox 67 Beta and Firefox 68 Nightly builds, you can install the extension from the https://github.com/mozilla-lockwise/lockwise-addon/releases/ link.

Mozilla contemplating a paid premium version

According to a bug report, Mozilla is looking into whether Firefox Monitor and Lockwise can be turned into a premium product with extra paid-for features.

 

"What will people pay for with respect to Monitor (identity monitoring services) and Lockbox (password management and secure storage product)?

 

what should our next functional requirements be? If Lockbox or Monitor could just do _____ [this], it would just put my mind at ease."

 

Mozilla hopes to begin experimenting with premium features in Q3.

 

Update 5/21/19 12:49 AM: Added the link to the Firefox Lockwise addon experiment.

 

Source: Firefox Lockwise Aims to Revamp Browser Password Management (Bleeping Computer)