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| <TITLE>Life of a master password</TITLE> |
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| <H1 class="Head">Life of a master password</H1> |
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| <p>The "master" password is used to encrypt and decrypt data stored by the secure storage. |
| The master passwords are specific to providers: each provider has a separate master password.</p> |
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| <p>The life of a master password begins when a password provider is asked for it for a first time. |
| Depending on the provider, it will either generate a master password behind the scenes, or will ask you |
| for some input. The same master password is then used for all subsequent use of this password provider.</p> |
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| <p align="center"><img alt="Lifecycle of a master password." src="../images/equinox_secure_storage_pswd.png"><br> |
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| <p align="center"><b>Picture 1. Lifecycle of a master password.</b></p> |
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| <p>Once the master password is obtained from the password provider, it is cached in memory until |
| the application is closed or the password cache is cleared using the <b>Secure Storage</b> preference page.</p> |
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| <p>The master password can be changed using the <b>Secure Storage</b> preference page. Depending on |
| the provider, the password change operation might require some input from you or might happen completely |
| behind the scenes.</p> |
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| <p>In case the master password is lost, it can be recovered if password recovery questions and answers were |
| specified. The password recovery allows working around both human and machine problems. For instance, if |
| a UI prompt was used to enter a password and the user forgot the password. If an operating system integration |
| module was used, the operating system might have been re-installed or an entry deleted in the system keyring |
| that was used for the master password.</p> |
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| <p><img alt="Related concepts" src="../images/ngrelc.png" border="0"> |
| <br><A href="ref-securestorage-start.htm">Secure storage</A> |
| <br><A href="ref-securestorage-works.htm">How secure storage works</A> |
| </p> |
| <p><img alt="Related reference" src="../images/ngrelr.png" border="0"> |
| <br><a href="ref-securestorage-prefs.htm">Secure storage preference page</a> |
| <br><a href="ref-securestorage-options.htm">Secure storage runtime options</a> |
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