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Password Protection

This Article Applies to:

  • Avast Small Business Solutions
  • Avast Small Office Protection

 

Password Protection helps secure your browser-stored passwords against theft by preventing applications and malware from viewing, changing, or deleting them.

It is available for Windows workstations and supports the following browsers:

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Avast Secure Browser

How Password Protection Works

Password Protection functions by monitoring the files on the disk where the browser passwords are stored.

Google Chrome

The stored passwords are in chrome://settings/passwords (Settings > Autofill and passwords > Google Password Manager).

Data is stored and protected in %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Login Data.

Mozilla Firefox

In Firefox, the logins are in about:logins (Menu > Passwords).

Data is stored and protected in %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\*\key4.db / logins.json.

Microsoft Edge

In Edge, the passwords are in edge://settings/passwords (Settings > Profiles > Passwords).

Data is stored and protected in %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Login Data.

Avast Secure Browser

The stored passwords are in secure://settings/passwords (Settings > Autofill > Password Manager).

Data is stored and protected in %LocalAppData%\AVAST Software\Browser\User Data\Default\Login Data.

Enabling/Disabling Password Protection

Password Protection can be accessed from the Privacy section of the client UI.

On the Password Protection screen, you can enable/disable the component using the toggle, see the status of each supported browser, and access advanced settings (gear icon).

From the same screen, you can also directly access the Blocked & Allowed apps section of the settings (see Blocked & Allowed Apps below).

Configuring Password Protection Settings

Advanced Password Protection settings can be accessed by either clicking the gear icon on the Password Protection screen or navigating to Menu > Settings > Privacy > Password Protection.

Here, you can again see the component status as well as supported browsers and their statuses.

Clicking the View allowed / blocked apps link at the bottom will bring you to the Blocked & Allowed apps list (see Blocked & Allowed Apps below).

You can also select here whether Password Protection will silently block any unknown applications trying to access your passwords or ask you what to do. If you choose Ask me to allow or block it, a dialog warning you of the possible threat will pop up each time such attempt is detected.

Selecting See details here will display the application name, browser, and data being accessed.

You can then decide whether to block or allow the app. If you select to block it (recommended), the dialog will confirm the application is blocked.

Then, the application will also be added to the blocked apps list.

If you select to allow the application (not recommended), the dialog will confirm the application is allowed.

Then, the application will also be added to the allowed apps list.

Blocked & Allowed Apps

If the device is managed by the Business Hub, the rules set here can be overridden by policy settings. For more information, see Password Protection.

As previously mentioned, clicking the View allowed / blocked apps link at the bottom of the settings screen (or the Block or Allow App button on the Password Protection screen) will bring you to the Menu > Settings > General > Blocked & Allowed apps section of the client UI, used by Password Protection, as well as Ransomware Shield, Sensitive Data Shield, and Webcam Shield.

Here, you can configure individually each application that will be blocked/allowed and include whichever of the available shields/components. Rules set here will override the general configuration.

Clicking Block App or Allow App will open a dialog where you can either choose an active application directly from the list or click Select app manually to navigate elsewhere on the disk.

Once you select an app, define which shields/features are applied for that app, then click Add.

On the Blocked & Allowed Apps list, you will see the added applications and which components they apply to. You can edit or remove any listed app via its actions menu (three dots).

FAQ