How to Recover Thunderbird Software Security Device
On occasion, such as after upgrading a Thunderbird mail client or transferring data from another account or mail client, the program may ask the user to "Please enter the Master Password for the Software Security Device" to access the program, even if it has never been set. The phrase "Security Device" is somewhat misleading and actually refers to the program's master password. The master password is recommended for users who share a computer to protect individual email accounts.
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Instructions
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Option 1 -- Reset Master Password
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1
Open the Thunderbird mail client.
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2
Click on "Tools" and "Error Console" in the menu bar.
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3
Highlight and copy (Ctrl-C) the entire expression below for use in the next step:
openDialog("chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xul").
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4
Paste (Ctrl-V) the copied expression into the text box directly below the menu titled "Code:"
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5
Click on the "Evaluate" button to the right of the text space. The "Reset Master Password" dialog box will open and warn you that resetting your master password will result in losing all stored passwords and other security data.
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6
Click on the "Reset" button to remove the master password.
Option 2 -- Delete "key3.db" file
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7
Check to be certain Thunderbird is closed.
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8
Open a file browser to the C: drive (or the location where Thunderbird has been installed).
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9
Set hidden files to visible (in the Windows File Browser menu, click on "Tools" then "Folder Options ...", then click on the "View" tab and in "Advanced Settings:" click on the "show hidden files and folders" checkbox).
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10
Browse to the "Documents and Settings \ (Name of the Thunderbird user) \ Application Data \ Profiles" folder.
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11
Locate a folder named with random characters and a "default" file extension (example "erb43erdy.default") in the Profiles folder.
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12
Open this folder, locate and delete the file "key3.db".
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13
Close the file browser and re-open Thunderbird.
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1
Tips & Warnings
In Option 2, directions are given to locate the "key3.db" file in a Windows XP operating system.
For Windows 7 look in: C:\ Users \ (Name of the Thunderbird user) \ AppData \ Roaming \ Thunderbird \ Profiles \ (profile_name).
For Mac OS X: ~/ Library / Application Support / Thunderbird / Profiles / (Name of the Thunderbird user) /
For Linux: ~/ .thunderbird / (Name of the Thunderbird user) /
You can also search the computer's filesystem for the location of "key3.db" and delete it from the search window.
As a security measure, all stored passwords, personal signing certificates, forms and any other security data will be lost by resetting the master password using either of the methods above.
