Using Privacy Features

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# Using the Cookie Manager

A cookie is a small amount of information on your computer that is used by some sites. For a brief overview, see What Are Cookies and How Do They Work?

Before loading a web page that uses cookies, your browser handles the page's cookies by doing two things:

- Accepts or rejects any requests by the site to set (store) one or more cookies on your computer.
- Accepts or rejects any requests by the site to read cookies it previously stored on your computer. A site can't actually read cookies or any other data on your computer—instead, your browser gets the cookies and sends them back to the site.

In this section:

- Enabling & Disabling Cookies
- Managing Cookies Site-By-Site
- Viewing Cookies
- Removing Cookies
- Cookie Manager Settings

## Enabling & Disabling Cookies

You can specify how cookies should be handled by setting your Cookies preferences. The default setting is Allow all cookies.

To change your Cookies preferences:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Cookies. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. Set your Cookies preferences.

For more information about the effect of each setting, see Privacy & Security Preferences - Cookies.

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## Managing Cookies Site-By-Site

To set cookie permissions for the current site:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose one of the following items:
   - Block Cookies from this Site: Block the current site from setting cookies.
   - Use Default Cookie Permissions: Reset cookie permission for the current site and use the default settings.
   - Allow Session Cookies from this Site: Allow the current site to set session cookies. Persistent cookies from this site will be downgraded to session cookies.
   - Allow Cookies from this Site: Allow the current site to set cookies.

To set cookie permission for several sites or a site you are not viewing, use the Cookie Manager.

If you have selected Ask for each cookie in Privacy & Security Preferences - Cookies, you will be warned (while browsing) that a web site is asking to set a cookie. When you see such a warning, you can choose to Allow, Allow for Session, or Deny the cookie.

Other dialog options:

- Use my choice for all cookies from this site: If you check this option, you will not be warned the next time that site tries to set or modify a cookie, and your allow or deny response will still be in effect.
- Show Details/Hide Details: Click the button to show or hide detailed information of the cookie.

If you want to change a remembered response later, use the Cookie Manager to edit stored cookies and add or remove cookie sites.

To stop automatically accepting or rejecting cookies from a site:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.
3. Click the Cookie Sites tab. The sites for which you have allowed or denied cookies are listed.
4. Click to select the site from which you no longer want to automatically accept cookies, and then click Remove Cookie.

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## Viewing Cookies

To view detailed information about cookies:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.
3. Select a cookie to see its details.

For more information about the information displayed, see Stored Cookies.

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## Removing Cookies

Important: To remove cookies, follow the steps in this section. Do not try to edit the cookies file on your computer.

To remove one or more cookies from your computer:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.
3. Select one or more cookies and click Remove Cookie, or click Remove All Cookies.

Even though you've removed the cookies now, you will reacquire those same cookies the next time you return to the site.

To prevent that from happening, select the checkbox labeled Don't allow sites that set removed cookies to set future cookies. When this checkbox is selected, sites for the cookies that you are removing are added to the list of sites whose cookies will automatically be rejected.

You must click OK for your changes to take effect.

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# Cookie Manager Settings

This section describes how to set your Cookies preferences and control other aspects of cookie handling.

For step-by-step descriptions of various tasks related to cookies, see Using the Cookie Manager.

In this section:

- Privacy & Security Preferences - Cookies
- Stored Cookies
- Cookie Sites
- Cookie Notification

## Privacy & Security Preferences - Cookies

Your browser is set by default to accept all cookies. This section describes how to use the Cookies preferences panel to change that setting. If you're not already viewing it, follow these steps:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Cookies. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)

Cookies help sites keep track of information for you, such as the contents of your on-line shopping cart or which cities' weather you want to know about. For a brief overview, see What Are Cookies and How Do They Work?

You can select one of these options:

- Block cookies: Select this option to refuse all cookies.
- Allow cookies for the originating website only: Select this option if you don't want to accept or return foreign cookies.
- Allow all cookies: This is the default option. Select this option to permit all sites not explicitly blocked to set cookies on your computer.

Note: Blocking cookies does not remove old cookies. By blocking cookies you only block sites from setting new cookies, and old cookies will still be sent to sites. To completely block a site from receiving old cookies, you need to remove its cookies.

Note: Per-site cookie permission supersedes default cookie setting. For example, if you allow a site to set cookies, the site can set cookies even if you choose Block cookies.

If you allow cookies or do not change the default setting, you can also select the following preferences:

- Accept cookies normally: Select this if you want sites to set or modify cookies without restrictions.
- Accept for current session only: Select this to delete the cookie the next time you exit your browser.
- Accept cookies for [__] days: Select this if you want to limit the length of time any cookie can remain on your computer, then type the number of days.
- Ask for each cookie: Select this if you want Cookie Manager to warn you each time a site is about to store a cookie. In addition, you can choose except for session cookies: so that &brandShortName; will not warn you if the site is setting cookies which will be deleted when you exit your browser.

You can also get more information about your stored cookies:

- Cookie Manager: Click this button to view information about the cookies currently stored on your computer and which sites are allowed to set them.

## Stored Cookies

This section describes how to use the Stored Cookies tab of the Cookie Manager. If you're not already viewing it, follow these steps:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.

The Stored Cookies tab lists all the cookies stored on your computer, the sites they belong to, and their current status.

When you select a cookie in this list, the following information about that cookie appears in the bottom portion of the tab:

Item | Explanation
--- | ---
Name | The name assigned to the cookie by its originator.
Information | A string of characters containing the information a site tracks for you. It might contain a user key or name by which you are identified to the site, information about your interests, and so forth.
Host or domain | Provides the name of the cookie's host or domain. A host cookie is sent back, during subsequent visits, only to the server that set it. A domain cookie is sent back to any site that's in the same domain as the site that set it. A site's domain is the part of its URL that contains the name of an organization, business, or school—such as netscape.com or washington.org.
Path | The file pathway. This is provided only if the cookie should be sent back to all URLs that are on that path or lower. For example, `http://a.b/x/y/z.html` means that the cookie can also be set for path `x/`.
Send For | When this field is For encrypted connections only it means that the browser checks the connection whenever the server asks for a cookie and will not send it unless the connection is encrypted (HTTPS).
Expires | The date and time at which the cookie will be deactivated. The browser regularly removes expired cookies from your computer.

To remove cookies, click one of these buttons:

- Remove Cookie: Removes the selected cookie or cookies from the list.
- Remove All Cookies: Removes all cookies from the list.

Select this checkbox to prevent the cookies you remove from being added back into the list later:

- Don't allow sites that set removed cookies to set future cookies

Even if you remove cookies now, you will reacquire those same cookies the next time you return to the site. To prevent that from happening, select this checkbox. When this checkbox is selected, sites for the cookies that you are removing are added to the list of sites whose cookies will automatically be rejected.

You must click Close for your changes to take effect.

## Cookie Sites

This section describes how to use the Cookie Sites tab of the Cookie Manager. If you're not already viewing it, follow these steps:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager.
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.
3. Click the Cookie Sites tab.

The Cookie Sites tab of the Cookie Manager lists the sites for which your decisions have been remembered, and what your decisions were. It also allows you to add and remove sites from the list.

### Adding Cookie Sites

To add cookies sites manually:

- Enter the site address, e.g. `www.mozilla.org`
- Set the site cookie permission:
  - Block: Click this button to add the site as a site blocked from setting cookies.
  - Session: Click this button to add the site as a site that can set session cookies. Persistent cookies from this site will be downgraded to session cookies.
  - Allow: Click this button to add the site as a site that can set cookies.
- Repeat the steps to add additional sites.

### Removing Cookie Sites

To remove a cookie site:

- Remove Site: Removes the selected site or sites from the list.
- Remove All Sites: Removes all sites from the list.

Once you've removed a site from this list, Cookie Manager remembers nothing about it. If the Ask for each cookie option is selected in the Cookies preferences panel, you will be warned when any site not in this list requests permission to set a cookie.

# Using the Password Manager

Many sites require you to type a user name and password before you can enter the site. For instance, personalized pages and sites containing your financial information usually require you to log in.

The user name and password you use at a particular site can be read by the site's administrator. Potentially, that person could then attempt to log into other sites where you may have used the same user name and password. If this concerns you, you may wish to use a different password at every site with which you register.

Password Manager can help you remember some or all of your names and passwords by storing them on your computer's hard disk, and entering them for you automatically when you visit such sites.

In this section:

- Using Password Manager to Remember User Names and Passwords
- Entering User Names and Passwords Automatically
- Turning Password Manager On and Off
- Viewing and Managing Stored Passwords
- Password Settings

## Using Password Manager to Remember User Names and Passwords

When Password Manager is active (as it is by default), it gives you an opportunity to save user names and passwords on your hard drive that you enter while using the Internet.

For example, after you log onto a site from a page that requests a user name and password, a dialog box appears asking, Do you want Password Manager to remember this logon? When you see this dialog box, you can click one of the following buttons:

- Yes: The next time you return to the site you'll see that your user name and password are already filled in. All you have to do is click the Login button (or equivalent) to send them to the server.
- Never for this site: Password Manager will not ask in the future if you want to save your user name and password for that site.
- No: Password Manager won't remember the user name and password, but will ask again the next time you visit the site.

Similarly, when you log onto an email account or an FTP site, or perform any other action that requires the browser itself to display a special dialog box for your login information, you can select this option in the dialog box:

- Use Password Manager to remember these values

The next time you check your email or perform other tasks that require a password only, the password will be submitted directly without any further action on your part. For tasks that require you to enter both a user name and password, you need to click a Login button or equivalent after Password Manager fills in the information.

Password Manager saves your user names and passwords on your own computer in a file that's difficult, but not impossible, for an intruder to read. See Encrypting Stored Sensitive Information for information on protecting your stored user names and passwords with encryption technology.

If the Password Manager dialog box described above does not appear when you click Submit after typing your user name and password, Password Manager may be turned off or the site may disallow its use.

To check whether Password Manager is currently active, see Turning Password Manager On and Off.

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## Entering User Names and Passwords Automatically

There are two different ways that Password Manager can fill in user names and passwords on your behalf:

- You use Password Manager to remember your user name and password for a site (using the three-button dialog box described in Using Password Manager to Remember User Names and Passwords).

  The next time you visit the site, Password Manager automatically fills in your user name and password on the site's log in page. You can then click the Login button, or equivalent, to send the information to the server.

- You use Password Manager to remember your user name and password for an email account, an FTP site, or in any other situation where you type login information in a dialog box that displays a checkbox labeled Use Password Manager to remember these values.

  In most cases, the next time you attempt to access that server, Password Manager automatically fills in your user name and password in the same dialog box. You can then click OK to send the information to the server.

  In some cases, such as when you open your email account, &brandShortName; needs to send only the password to the server, and does so immediately without displaying the dialog box or requiring any further action on your part.

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## Turning Password Manager On and Off

Password Manager is on by default. To turn it off:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. In the Password Manager section, deselect Remember passwords to turn Password Manager off.

To turn Password Manager on, follow steps 1 and 2 above, but select the checkbox in step 3 rather than deselecting it.

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## Viewing and Managing Stored Passwords

To see the user names and passwords you have stored and to display a list of sites from which logon information never is saved:

- Open the Tools menu, choose Password Manager, and then choose Manage Stored Passwords from the submenu. You see the Password Manager window with the Passwords Saved tab opened.
  - To see your saved passwords, click Show Passwords and confirm your choice.
  - To hide your passwords, click Hide Passwords.
  - To remove an entry from the list, click it and then click Remove. The next time you visit the site, you will need to enter your user name and password again, since Password Manager will no longer have the information.
  Click the Passwords Never Saved tab to see a list of the sites for which you instructed Password Manager never to store user names and passwords. To remove a site from this list, click it and then click Remove. The next time you log into the site, you can use the stored user name and password (if available) or indicate that you want Password Manager to save the information for that site.

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# Encrypting Stored Sensitive Information

If you use Password Manager to save passwords, then this sensitive information is stored on your computer in a file that's difficult, but not impossible, for an intruder to read.

For example, if your computer is in an area where unauthorized people have access to it, it's possible for a determined person to read the file containing your sensitive information.

For a greater degree of security, you may want to protect the file with encryption. Encryption makes it much harder for an unauthorized person to view your stored sensitive information.

Your decision about whether to use encryption for stored sensitive data is a tradeoff between improved security and convenience.

If you use encryption, you will need to enter a master password periodically, which can be inconvenient. If you don't, it may be easier for a stranger who has access to your computer to steal your passwords.

In this section:

- Turning Encryption On and Off
- Setting a Master Password
- Changing Your Master Password
- Logging Out of Your Master Password
- What to Do If You Forget Your Master Password

## Turning Encryption On and Off

To turn on encryption for your stored sensitive information:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. In the Encrypting versus Obscuring section, select Use encryption when storing sensitive data.
4. Click OK. If you haven't previously set a master password, a new dialog box appears and leads you through the process of setting it.

To turn encryption off, deselect Use encryption when storing sensitive data.

You must supply your master password when you turn encryption on or off.

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## Setting a Master Password

If you choose to encrypt your stored sensitive information, you'll need a master password. With encryption selected, you'll be asked for your master password at least once during a &brandShortName; session in which you access any of your stored sensitive information.

If you choose encryption, but don't already have a master password, you'll be prompted to create one the first time you try to save or retrieve your sensitive information.

If your master password has not previously been set, you can set at this time:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Master Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. In the Change Master Password section, click Change Password to open the Change Master Password dialog box.
4. Enter your desired master password, and retype it to confirm the spelling.
5. Click OK.

Make sure your new password is difficult to guess. For some suggestions on how to improve password security, see Choosing a Good Password.

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## Changing Your Master Password

To change your master password:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Master Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. In the Change Master Password section, click Change Password to open the Change Master Password dialog box.
4. Enter your current master password.
5. Enter your new master password, and retype it to confirm the spelling.
6. Click OK.

Make sure your new password is difficult to guess. For some guidelines, see Choosing a Good Password.

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## Logging Out of Your Master Password

Normally, you are asked for your master password once during each &brandShortName; session during which you access any of your stored sensitive information.

It's also possible to require that your master password be requested each time it is needed, or after a certain amount of time has passed. For details, see Master Password Timeout.

You can log out of your master password so that it must be entered again before any sensitive information can be stored or retrieved. This is useful if you are going to leave your computer unattended for a period of time.

To log out of your master password:

1. Open the Tools menu and choose Password Manager.
2. Select Log Out from the submenu.

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## What to Do If You Forget Your Master Password

If you forget your master password and you have chosen to encrypt sensitive data (see Encrypting Stored Sensitive Information), you won't be able to access any of the stored password it protects (assuming you have turned on encryption). Your master password is your most important password. Make sure you remember it or record it in a safe place.

As a last resort, it's possible to reset your master password if you are sure you can't remember it. However, resetting your master password permanently erases all the web and email passwords, saved on your behalf by Password Manager. You will also lose all your personal certificates associated with the Software Security Device.

Before taking this drastic step, read Reset Master Password.

If you are sure you can't remember or retrieve your master password, follow these instructions to reset it:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Master Passwords. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)
3. Click Reset Master Password.
4. In the Reset Master Password dialog box, click Reset.

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# Managing Images

If you wish, you can choose not to download any images when you browse the web. This greatly restricts what you can view online, but may be helpful if you have a slow connection and wish to shorten the time it takes web pages to load.

You can also control how frequently animated images repeat their animation, or turn off animation completely.

The next section describes how to control these image settings. The default settings allow all images to be accepted and allow them to repeat their animation.

## Privacy & Security Preferences - Images

This section describes how to set preferences for images. To view the preference settings for images:

1. Open the &brandShortName; Edit menu and choose Preferences.
2. Under the Privacy & Security category, click Images. (If no subcategories are visible, double-click Privacy & Security to expand the list.)

### Image Acceptance Policy

Image Acceptance preferences allow you to control whether or under what conditions the &brandShortName; browser should display images:

- Do not load any images: Select this option if you do not want the &brandShortName; browser to display images.
- Accept images that come from the originating server only: Select this option if you do not want to load images from third-party sites.
- Accept all images: Select this option if you want to display all images. (This option is selected by default.)

### Animated images should loop

These settings control how many times animated images repeat their animation:

- As many times as the image specifies: Select this if you want image animation to repeat as many times as specified within each image. (This option is selected by default.)
- Once: Select this if you want image animation to occur once, overriding the number of times specified within each image.
- Never: Select this if you do not want image animation.

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