Here's how to have It's FOSS forum login persistence

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

Just a short note:
If you are using Firefox or Waterfox browser, and you want your ‘ItsFOSS community login tab’ to remain logged in when you close the browser or reboot, you need to…

Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and Site Data
and untick the box labelled
‘Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed’

Otherwise Firefox will not remember your logged in tab, and you will have to go through the fresh login and email authentication procedure every time you reboot or close the browser.

There may be security implications of unticking this box… malicious cookies may persist. That can be overcome by using a different browser for itsFOSS and doing all other browsing in a browser with the box ticked.
I think we could assume that the itsFOSS site does not itself generate malicious cookies… so it is safe to untick the box when viewing our forum site

[Daniel_Phillips]

@nevj

There may be security implications of unticking this box… malicious cookies may persist. That can be overcome by using a different browser for itsFOSS and doing all other browsing in a browser with the box ticked.

That is why I use two browsers and usually login with either Chromium or Chrome!!!

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Daniel_Phillips

That is why I use two browsers and usually login with either Chromium or Chrome!!

I am going to do the same… use Waterfox for itsFOSS and other persistent logins, and Firefox for everything else. To get that to work, I have to temporarily make Waterfox the default browser while I login to itsFOSS, then switch the default to Firefox. … because the email authentication automatically goes to the default browser.

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi Neville;

of course you´re right with everything you pointed out.

Perhaps I may add this one:
I think you can get away with using just one browser as long as it supports the -no-remote option…
… together with the firejail sandbox providing two different working directory paths that won´t interfere with each other.

Like so (example):

• firejail --private=[PATH-TO-WORKING-DIRECTORY_1] firefox
• firejail --private=[PATH-TO-WORKING-DIRECTORY_2] --dns=1.1.1.1 --dns=9.9.9.9] firefox -no-remote

In this case:

By default, a single Firefox process instance handles multiple browser windows. If you already have Firefox running, you would need to use -no-remote command line option,
otherwise you end up with a new tab or a new window attached to the existing Firefox process.

(from firefox sandboxing guide)

In this case you can even run both instances of firefox at the same time.

Use either of these exclusively for itsFOSS forum and you´re all set (I hope).

Many greetings from Rosika

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

Use either of these exclusively for itsFOSS forum and you´re all set

Hi Rosika,
I learn something from you nearly every time you write
I had to look up -no-remote

Is there any difference between "firefox -p -no-remote" and "firefox...

I think it is better to do it with firejail… that mozilla response is confusing.

Thanks
Neville

Note:
That firejail sandboxing guide also has some interesting ideas on setting up a VPN.

Note2:
I think it is -no-remote not --no-remote
line 4 of reply #3

Note3:
I used this
firejail --private=/home/nevj/FOSSfox firefox -no-remote
when I try to do the email login , from in there, it opens another firefox with the default --private directory… it seems the email login always sets up the default browser.
So it doesnt work, I am afraid… or did I miss something?

[Rohit]

@Daniel_Phillips

That is why I use two browsers and usually login with either Chromium or Chrome!!!

Always on firefox for itsfoss. Also use Waterfox for a different account and Mullvad when on VPN.

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

@nevj :

Hi Neville,

@nevj

I think it is -no-remote not --no-remote

Of course you´re right. My mistake. Sorry.
I just set it right.
Also: In my example I actually forgot to implement this very option for the 2nd instance of firejail.
I just corrected this as well.
Thanks for being so enttentive, Neville.

@nevj

I learn something from you nearly every time you write

Oh my! I wish that was true. But thanks for your praise.

@nevj

That firejail sandboxing guide also has some interesting ideas on setting up a VPN

Thanks for the hint. I hadn´t noticed it before. I´ll look into it.

@nevj

I used this
firejail --private=/home/nevj/FOSSfox firefox -no-remote

The command seems to be correct.
But I don´t quite understand the problem. Could you clarify it?

I works with me this way…
… although I don´t use the -no-remote option for my standard setup.
Are you saying when trying to log in, another firefox instance is opened

Many greetings from Rosika

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

@nevj :

Update:

I just checked:

At present 2 instances of firejailed firefox are running on my system:

firejail --tree
[...]
13548:rosika::firejail --private=/media/rosika/f14a27c2-0b49-4607-94ea-2e56bbf76fe1/DATEN-PARTITION/Dokumente/work2 firefox 
[...]
 15651:rosika::firejail --private=/media/rosika/f14a27c2-0b49-4607-94ea-2e56bbf76fe1/DATEN-PARTITION/Dokumente/prov_work_ksk/ --dns=1.1.1.1 --dns=9.9.9.9 firefox -no-remote https://itsfoss.community/ 
[...]

First I logged out of the itsfoss forum on the first one and then I logged into the second one, using the e-mail login.

No problems occurred. Another (a third) firefox instance was not opened.
Everything works as it should.

Actually I´m writing this very post from the 2nd instance of firefox.

Hmm, I don´t know why that wouldn´t be working the intended way with you…
Sorry, Neville. Seems I´m not much help with this one…

Cheers from Rosika

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

But I don´t quite understand the problem. Could you clarify it?

The command starts firefox OK, and I can get thd itsFOSS home page in a tab, but when I try to login, the email link opens another firefox, outside of firejail

so its as you say

@Rosika

Are you saying when trying to log in, another firefox instance is opened

So I can never login to itsFOSS inside firejail?

How did you get around that?

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

Hi Neville,

@nevj

How did you get around that?

As pointed out in my previous reply:

@Rosika

At present 2 instances of firejailed firefox are running on my system:

firejail --tree
[...]
13548:rosika::firejail --private=/media/rosika/f14a27c2-0b49-4607-94ea-2e56bbf76fe1/DATEN-PARTITION/Dokumente/work2 firefox 
[...]
 15651:rosika::firejail --private=/media/rosika/f14a27c2-0b49-4607-94ea-2e56bbf76fe1/DATEN-PARTITION/Dokumente/prov_work_ksk/ --dns=1.1.1.1 --dns=9.9.9.9 firefox -no-remote https://itsfoss.community/ 
[...]

So I just ran the 2nd firefox instance this way:

firejail --private=/media/rosika/f14a27c2-0b49-4607-94ea-2e56bbf76fe1/DATEN-PARTITION/Dokumente/prov_work_ksk/ --dns=1.1.1.1 --dns=9.9.9.9 firefox -no-remote https://itsfoss.community/

I.e. defining a 2nd working directory for firejail and attaching the -no-remote option for firefox.

@nevj

but when I try to login, the email link opens another firefox, outside of firejail

I cannot see why it would do that?
This, in my opinion, would just be the case if the login credentials link received by e-mail:

Use this link to securely sign in to your It’s FOSS account: […]

is used e.g. in thunderbird as “open this link” or something like that.
But if you just copy the link and enter it into the URL bar of the 2nd firejailed firefox instance it shouldn´t trigger a 3rd firefox insantance.

I´m at a loss here. It really shouldn´t pose any problems.
What might be amiss in your setup, I wonder…

Cheers from Rosika

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

But if you just copy the link and enter it into the URL bar of the 2nd firejailed firefox instance it shouldn´t trigger a 3rd firefox insantance.

How do I copy the link?
I have always clicked on it in the email
Where do I copy it from?

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

@nevj :

Hi Neville,

@nevj

I have always clicked on it in the email

Ah, that´s it. You´re not supposed to do that.

In this this case of course the 3rd firefox instance (and an unjailed one) would be run, as it´s triggered by thunderbird or whatever e-mail client you´re using.

Well, I just suppose you´re doing that from an e-mail client and not from within your browser.

@nevj

How do I copy the link?

In the e-mail client just hover the mouse pointer over the link and right-click on it. Then an option “copy link” or something like that should appear.

Hope it helps.

Many greetings from Rosika

P.S.:

@nevj

Where do I copy it from?

Well, the link is provided in the e-mail you get from ITSFOSS.

Subject: “Secure sign in link for It’s FOSS”

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

In the e-mail client just hover the mouse pointer over the link and right-click on it. Then an option “copy link” or something like that should appear.

Hi Rosika,

OK, I get it… that green button in thunderbird IS the link
I did not know about using right mouse button.

Thank you, I feel so stupid. Will try tomorrow.
That would work with waterfox too.

Regards
Neville

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

@nevj :

Hi Neville,

@nevj

Thank you, I feel so stupid.

Please don´t. You are a thousand times (or more) cleverer than me.

Besides: I may have overlooked that some sort of green button is provided.
I guess you´re talking about thunderbird, right?

The thing is: I use `sylpheed, and this e-mail client is not a graphical one.
I just get:

Welcome back! Use this link to securely sign in to your It’s FOSS account:

and then the link follows in clear text.
sylpheed´s right click entry says: “Diese Verknüpfung kopieren”, i.e. “copy this link”.

Hope it helps to clear things up.

Cheers from Rosika

P.S.:

@nevj

That would work with waterfox too.

Yes, I think so, too.

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

and then the link follows in clear text.
sylpheed´s right click entry says: “Diese Verknüpfung kopieren”, i.e. “copy this link”.

Hi Rosika,
Well Sylpheed is a lot more helpful than Thunderbird.
All I see in Thunderbird is a green button to click.
Regards
Neville

[nevj (Neville Jackson)]

@Rosika

I just get:

Welcome back! Use this link to securely sign in to your It’s FOSS account:

and then the link follows in clear text.
sylpheed´s right click entry says: “Diese Verknüpfung kopieren”, i.e. “copy this link”.

Hi Rosika,
Here is what I see in Thunderbird

and, you are right, I can copy the link with the right mouse button, or I can drag and drop it.
So now I can put it into the correct instance of firefox. It should persist now… yes it persists, I tested closing the browser.
Thank You
Neville

[Rosika (Rosika Schreck)]

@nevj :

Hi Neville,

thanks for the feedback.

@nevj

It should persist now… yes it persists

Great. That´s what you were looking for.

I´m glad I could be of some help.

Many greetings from Rosika

P.S.:

@nevj

Well Sylpheed is a lot more helpful than Thunderbird.

Yes, I like it because it doesn´t consume a lot of resources.
As a a matter of fact running an instance of sylpheed takes up less RAM than opening a new tab in firefox would.

I use thunderbird for archiving purposes only.