Browser Password Manager Problem:

[Kester]

Hi,
This is a bit of a mystery and has happened on one of my two MX-Linux 23 desktop computers but not the other. The QSI of the system affected is as follows:

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-35-amd64 [6.1.137-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-35-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.6_x64 Libretto July 31  2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: A68HM-PLUS v: Rev X.0x serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI-[Legacy]: American Megatrends v: 1903 date: 08/04/2017
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD A8-7650K Radeon R7 10 Compute Cores 4C+6G bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Steamroller level: v2 built: 2014 process: GF 28nm family: 0x15 (21) model-id: 0x30 (48)
    stepping: 1 microcode: 0x6003106
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x16 KiB; i-2x96 KiB
    L2: 4 MiB desc: 2x2 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1897 high: 1900 min/max: 1900/3300 boost: enabled scaling:
    driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores: 1: 1900 2: 1894 3: 1900 4: 1895 bogomips: 26334
  Flags: avx ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: untrained return thunk; SMT vulnerable
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; STIBP: disabled; RSB filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not
    affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: radeon v: kernel
    alternate: amdgpu arch: GCN-2 code: Sea Islands process: GF/TSMC 16-28nm built: 2013-17 ports:
    active: VGA-1 empty: DVI-D-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:01.0 chip-ID: 1002:1313 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X: loaded: radeon
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: radeon display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x1024 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 338x270mm (13.31x10.63") s-diag: 433mm (17.03")
  Monitor-1: VGA-1 mapped: VGA-0 model-id: PTS 0x06a6 serial: <filter> built: 2006 res: 1280x1024
    hz: 60 dpi: 96 gamma: 1.5 size: 337x270mm (13.27x10.63") diag: 432mm (17") ratio: 5:4 modes:
    max: 1280x1024 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: KAVERI ( LLVM 15.0.6 DRM 2.50 6.1.0-35-amd64)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD Kaveri HDMI/DP Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:01.1 chip-ID: 1002:1308 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD FCH Azalia vendor: ASUSTeK AM1I-A driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:14.2
    chip-ID: 1022:780d class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-35-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: ASUSTeK AM1I-A
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000 bus-ID: 04:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 945.92 GiB used: 147.61 GiB (15.6%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital model: WD10EZEX-08WN4A0 size: 931.51 GiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter>
    rev: 1A02 scheme: MBR
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 type: USB vendor: Kingston model: DataTraveler 3.0 size: 14.41 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: N/A serial: <filter> scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 148.09 GiB size: 144.71 GiB (97.72%) used: 19.47 GiB (13.5%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 3 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 7.9 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 5.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: 2422 pm: dpkg pkgs: 2421 libs: 1247 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 1
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dropbox.list
    1: deb [arch=i386,amd64] http://linux.dropbox.com/debian bookworm main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/megasync.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/meganz-archive-keyring.gpg] https://mega.nz/linux/repo/Debian_12/ ./
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera-stable.list
    1: deb https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vivaldi.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_librewolf.sources
Info:
  Processes: 243 Uptime: 7h 59m wakeups: 1 Memory: 6.71 GiB used: 1.57 GiB (23.3%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

The problem is that both Brave and Firefox browsers are affected and this applies to both user accounts on the system. The problem is that the password managers no longer automatically enter the email address used as the username for entry to a online grocery store. If the address is added manually or via KeepassXC, the next stage, i.e. entering the password, is carried out automatically. The email address is shown to be still stored in the password managers. The problem may be caused by the grocery store's own software as the company have been having major issues in recent days with customers unable to login or if logged in, losing their connection. My wife, who has been using the computer in question, is trying to learn the process of making a regular grocery order where before she relied on me. She has been practising editing orders and going through the payment process and it is possible she was caught by one of the company's software issues when trying to log on and that has caused the issue. I say that because the other desktop system has not been affected, both browsers are on it and still working normally.

While it is easy to get around the problem, it is a nuisance. Uninstalling the browsers and clearing as much of the residue as I can find and then reinstalling does not correct the situation. The only successful solution I have found so far is to install a new browser - both Opera and Vivaldi work correctly with no issues so my wife and I are happy to continue using them but that beggars the question, what could I have done to get Brave and Firefox working correctly again?

I'd be interested in any comments though happy to stay with Opera and/or Vivaldi. Cheers and thanks.

[dreamer]

In Chrome I think this setting is called Autofill. You need to have it enabled.
I don't use password managers other than what is provided by browsers.

[j2mcgreg]

Your HDD is twelve years old. What does the bios's SMART indicator say about it's condition?

[CharlesV]

@Kester I have noticed with firefox on some websites you have to type in the first character of the user name / email and THEN it will auto populate. Not sure if this is happening on your system, but it started on mine a few versions back. (all machines that are same versions.)

[Kester]

Hi All,
Thanks for your input.

@j2mcgreg: There are no problems with the hard drive - Status: OK; Bad Sectors: 0; Temperature: 37 degrees c.

@CharlesV: As Firefox is no longer on that system I cannot test that possibility without reinstalling. I do not have Firefox on my other system but do have Brave which developed the same problem as Firefox on the problem system but does not show it on the other system. From what I remember with Firefox before I uninstalled it, with the problem I had to type the complete email address and then <Enter> before the password box word appear and then load the password automatically. I suspect that somehow, deep in my system is a file/files that has been corrupted by the online grocery store's software issue but which file/files I do not know nor their whereabouts. Something else that puzzled me about the situation is, that although I uninstalled the two browsers and thought I had cleared away the leftovers, on reinstalling, bookmarks and other settings, including those in the password manager, were resurrected.

[Kester]

UPDATE:
Using my Macrium Reflect backup image made at the end of last month and before the issue arose, I restored the system to how it was at that time. There was no change and the issue remains so I presume the problem is between the computer and the grocery company's website. I've now used Macrium Reflect to restore the computer back to how it was yesterday with Vivaldi and Opera browsers back in place. Probably will have to give up on this one.

[dreamer]

You could look up how to create fresh browser profiles for respective browser. Firefox might have a built-in profile manager. Or just delete your profile folders in your home directory if you don't have any important bookmarks, usernames/passwords etc. saved. Maybe you want to manually make a backup copy first.

For example you could delete the Brave-Browser folder in /home/your_username/.config/BraveSoftware folder. Browsers automatically create new profiles if none are present.

[DukeComposed]

You could look up how to create fresh browser profiles for respective browser. Firefox might have a built-in profile manager. Or just delete your profile folders in your home directory if you don't have any important bookmarks, usernames/passwords etc. saved. Maybe you want to manually make a backup copy first.

Firefox permits creating multiple user profiles, so backing up a profile and moving that backup to a different location is always a better idea than deleting a profile and hoping there wasn't anything inside it that was important. Multiple profiles also means making a new profile doesn't require deleting the old one, so removing the old profile should only be done if it's broken or contains nothing of value anymore.

[Kester]

Hi
Thanks @DukeComposed and @dreamer.

Not sure if this is a profile issue as latest reports on the grocery company's software issue is suggesting the customers' browsers may have been affected. I'll hang fire for the moment but will report back if and when I find out more. Brave is now playing up on the second computer but Vivaldi is still okay on both systems.

[Kester]

FURTHER UPDATE:

I have carried out further experiments regarding the reported issue which may be of interest. The second computer initially did not appear to have the problem in the Brave and Firefox browsers but I realised that I was just checking to see if the email address / username could be added automatically by the respective browsers and that was successful for both browsers. Not wanting to edit an order or create a new one I abandoned the process once the email address was entered. Later I tried to complete logins with the browsers and then the problem materialised. I have sent a report to the company's customer services hoping they will forward to their technical team. I suspect not too many of their customers are using MX-Linux or even other Linux systems in relation to those using Windows or even Mac OS so they probably haven't given much thought regarding Linux users.

If the company do get back to me, I can only hope, I will update this thread.

Cheers.