How do I make an unencrypted backup of my login credentials for moving between network configs?

[Tynach Drascol]

I have moved from one house to another, and in the new house I have Ethernet available in my bedroom. For now, Second Life works fine when using WiFi, but here in my room the signal strength is somewhat weak - resulting in occasional packet loss and/or high ping times.

I know that Second Life stores login credentials encrypted, and the network card plays a role in generating the encryption key in such a way that you cannot decrypt the file if your network card changes. This is perfectly fine, especially since I can still connect to Wifi to decrypt the file.

However, I can't seem to find a way to save a backup of the encrypted file, without itself being encrypted too. As a result, I can't seem to simply connect with wifi, use the 'Backup' feature to backup my login credentials, disconnect and reconnect with my wired connection, and restore the login credentials from the backup.

I would guess that it just copies the file over with no cryptographic functions being run, but I suppose it's possible that it's happening because I'm saving the backup while connected to WiFi. I'd try doing this by connecting to wifi, opening Firestorm, connecting to Wired, backing it up, and then trying to restore from the backup after that... But I don't want to accidentally do something that'd actually corrupt the file. This sounds like the type of risky thing that might cause that (but I'm not sure).

Here is some information about my setup:

• Ubuntu Linux 15.10 Wily Werewolf (64-bit)
• WiFi device is named 'wlan0', predictably.
• Ethernet device is named 'eth0', also predictably.
• My ISP is Cox.
• I am using Firestorm 4.7.3.47323 64-bit.

I have read that Second Life's official viewer does the same sort of 'credentials encryption' as Firestorm, so I'm asking using the 'Answers' thing first. If this would be better suited for the forums, I can ask there.

Edit: I can't seem to 'reply' to answers, so I'll edit this question.

1. Yes, I am getting the 'Unable to decode...' message, but only when using the wired connection (eth0).
2. Second Life is not the most critical thing on my computer. I go by the policy that if anyone has physical access to my machine, I'm screwed. Still, this is still a fairly valid concern for me, as I live with my parents. That's why I use an experimental filesystem (Btrfs) and have my computer lock itself after only a couple minutes. No automatic log-in.
3. I use many passwords and have a few different accounts. I don't want to have to remember all of it, and since I've not had to actually type any of the passwords more than, say, once every 2 or 3 years, it's safe to say that I won't remember them. That's why I want them in a decrypted form.

I would be happy to simply have it re-encrypt using my new network connection, rather than having it ever stored in a decrypted format. However, I wouldn't mind having an unencrypted copy. After all, Pidgin stores its passwords in plaintext, and I consider my instant messaging accounts to be far more valuable than my second life account (for example, Hangouts is tied to GMail, which is tied to my bank account; hence why I use two-factor authentication).

[Lindal Kidd]

Huh?  Unless I am not understanding something, you are making things WAY too complicated.

First of all, you shouldn't use "remember my password" at the login screen in any case...it's very poor security practice.  Anyone coming by your computer can then log in and use your account.

Second, you can use your user name and password to log in from ANY computer that has a Second Life viewer installed.  Certainly you can do so from different computers on your own network.

EDIT:  I repeat:  Don't go to all this friggin' trouble!  Log in on wifi.  If you insist, click "remember my password" at the login screen.  Log out.  Hook up your ethernet connection.  Open SL again.  Your user name and password will be right there, entered on your login screen.

[Whirly Fizzle]

Are you actually seeing an "Unable to decode the file storing your saved login credentials" error when you switch between the 2 connections on the same computer?

Your login credentials are saved in the bin_conf.dat file (which is encrypted)  located in your user_settings folder.

On Firestorm you can get to that folder directly from Preferences -> Network & Files -> Directories -> Open Settings Folder.

 

[Rhonda Huntress]

Linden Lab can help you recover forgotten passwords.  There is no reason to ever decrypt it or need to move it encrypted to another computer.  That sounds like a way to steal another account's login to me.

You can log in wireless or wired with multiple computers on any network with a dirty internet connection just fine.  There is zero need to circumvent security unless you are trying to circumvent someone else's security.