Mozilla posts Firefox 3.0.3 update (with a new bug)

By Christian Zibreg

Chicago (IL) - Following the Firefox 3.0.2 update last week, Mozilla has posted another update yesterday. Firefox 3.0.3 eliminates a bug in the browser's password manager that refuses to fetch previously saved passwords in forms. The issue is now fixed, but it seems to have paved the way for another known bug, also in the password manager. For now, Mozilla offers a workaround and promises to patch the bug with Firefox 3.0.4.

Days after releasing Firefox 3.0.2 update last week, Mozilla posted Firefox 3.0.3, fixing a problem with the password manager. Firefox 3.0.2 brought "improvements" for the password manager, but the browser update also highlighted a bug which prevents users from retrieving saved passwords or saving new passwords. This is due to a known bug in the password manager that causes the browser to incorrectly read encrypted passwords and usernames in saved forms. However, many users are reporting that the issue is not fixed with the 3.0.3 update.

Mozilla confirmed the problem and said that there is another bug that resets the UTF8 converter after it encounters an invalid data entry. The developers promise that the issue will be resolved with Firefox 3.0.4.

For now, there is a simple workaround in case you experience problems with the password manager after you apply Firefox 3.0.3 update: Try logging in to any password-protected service using a bogus password. Save the password when prompted and restart the browser. Firefox should now store any following passwords correctly in its password manager.

Original here