Firefox Sync

Firefox Sync is a web browser - synchronization service of the Mozilla Foundation. The service stores the personal data administration of a web browser such as user preferences, bookmarks, open tabs ( tabbed browsing ), browsing history, saved passwords and set up add -ons on a server in a network. This can synchronize its settings between different systems such as desktop computers, tablet computers and smartphones users.

History

The service was published in December 2007 under the name Mozilla Weave as an experimental tool. In 2010, the test operation was declared over and presented the official add-on for the Firefox web browser. In the same step, the renamed Firefox Sync was. Since version 4.0, the client component of the service is integrated directly into the Firefox browser ..

The Mozilla Foundation had provided with the mobile app " Firefox Home " is also a Firefox Sync Client for the iPhone and the iPad, but this is no longer available as of August 3, 2012.

Terms and criticism

According to the Mozilla Foundation, the service is currently used by about one percent of Firefox users.

From the Mozilla Foundation itself a number of weaknesses in the current version are called; complex to set up the service, lack of reliability and scalability. At present, therefore (Profiles in the Cloud) is working on an improvement and extension of the service under the project name pICL.

Supported Clients

The service can be used on the following platforms from the following Web clients:

  • On Linux, Mac OS and Windows of the Firefox web browser, version 4.0 and the Internet application package SeaMonkey version 2.1.
  • On Android with Mozilla Firefox Mobile

Server

The Mozilla Foundation provides a sync server to store on the internet. It is also possible to use a private Sync Server set up in its home network, intranet or the Internet.

Privacy Policy

The personal management data is encrypted before transmission on the Sync Server from the Web browser. There the Advanced Encryption Standard with 256 bits is applied during this process. According to the data when retrieving from the sync server are decrypted by the web browser. All synchronized web browser of a user using the same key. The private nature of the administrative data is protected by this encryption during transmission and on the Sync server.

Before the first use, the user must set up a personal account with the Sync Server. Access to the encrypted personal data is protected by the password of that account.

Similar services

  • Opera Link for all supported platforms Opera.
  • Commercial providers such as Xmarks
  • The service Google Browser Sync was set on July 8, 2008.
Software maintainer Cloud-Computing Mozilla Public License Desktop-Computer
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