Problems again with multiple Chrome profiles

411pass

Chrome Version 61.0.3163.100 (Official Build) (64-bit)
1Password 6 Version 6.8.2 (682003) AgileBits Store
macOS 10.12.6

This problem seems to return every once in a while: I'm using multiple profiles and the Chrome extension misbehaves. Cmd+\ doesn't do anything in 1 profile but works in another, same when clicking on the extension icon in the browser.
1Password has been once again unstable lately. This same issue seems to repeat every few releases.

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1Password Version: Not Provided
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Not Provided

AGAlumB

This problem seems to return every once in a while: I'm using multiple profiles and the Chrome extension misbehaves. Cmd+\ doesn't do anything in 1 profile but works in another, same when clicking on the extension icon in the browser.

@411pass: It sounds like something may be setup differently between the two profiles. If you create a new one and install the 1Password extension, does it still happen? I'm not able to reproduce this here, so I wonder if there's another extension involved, or the profile is simply damaged. Let me know what you find!

1Password has been once again unstable lately. This same issue seems to repeat every few releases.

I haven't seen anyone else report instability. Can you be more specific? Is something crashing, or are you getting an error?

411pass

No new extensions. Problems as described in my original post: Cmd+\ hotkey simply stops working in 1 profile but works in another. If I quit 1Password Mini and restart it, it starts working again ... for a bit at least ... then rinse and repeat.

AGAlumB

@411pass: Thanks for clarifying, but would you mind trying what I suggested previously?

If you create a new one [Chrome profile] and install the 1Password extension, does it still happen?

Also, are the other extensions you have installed the same between profiles? Knowing what they are will help us test and may help us narrow down the cause.

411pass

Some are the same, others are not. Things like Adblock Origin, Switchy Omega, Session Buddy, Tabs to the front, Octotree, Sourcegraph, Yet another drag'n'go, ...
Problem is that it's not consistently broken, it works for a bit, then it stops working until either I restart Chrome or 1Password Mini. So it seems that once again something is broken between the Chrome extension and 1Password Mini. I remember there was a thread about this problem a while ago, it got fixed and it seems broken again.

Not sure what a clean profile proves. I have a few profiles that I need to use the way they are. It's great that it works well in a clean profile by itself, but that's not how I use Chrome.

AGAlumB

@411pass: Good to know! Since it's working for you in the one profile (and for the rest of us), we know that 1Password works on your system in general. Its behaviour won't change based on your profile or other extensions, but they may interfere. A clean profile with only 1Password installed tells us it's either an interaction with other extensions, or a problem with the other profile. At that point, if it's working, you could add other extensions one at a time and configure things the way you want with the new profile, and you'd know as soon as something you did broke things for you. Also keep in mind that when you install all these extensions, if you're giving them broad permissions to access data you interact with in Chrome, they will be able to see things you fill with 1Password, or enter into sites manually, along with which sites you visit. So trust is paramount.

A long time ago 1Password did not work with multiple Chrome profiles, but that's a feature we added, haven't changed, and is actually not even relevant any longer since we're not using WebSockets with Chrome anymore. So definitely give it a shot and let me know if that helps! :)

411pass

I'm sorry but it's not reasonable to expect users to redo multiple profiles from scratch. In general, the answer shouldn't be "start from scratch". This is not Windows where the answer to all problems was to reformat and reinstall.

This used to work fine, it broke in the past couple of weeks, after the recent 1Password updates (not sure which one exactly).
It's not immediately obvious if an extension breaks it because as I said it works fine for a while, then it just quits working until I restart either Chrome or 1Pass Mini.

Let's not worry about privacy and permissions of other extensions in this thread.

jxpx777

This is just a hunch, @411pass, but the next time you see this issue, could you open Activity Monitor and quit the OnePasswordNativeMessageHost process. (Force quit if needed.) You'll see the extension disable its toolbar button for a couple seconds and then you should see a new process start in Activity Monitor. Then, try again.

There is an intermittent bug that we are working on, but a bit blindly since we cannot reproduce the problem ourselves. If killing the process helps you, then that is a sign that this might be what you're being affected by as well.

--
Jamie Phelps
Code Wrangler @ AgileBits
Fort Worth, Texas

411pass

Thanks for the tip. I will try it and report back next time I see it. Sounds about right because I noticed quitting 1Pass Mini and restarting it fixes it (temporarily).

littlebobbytables

Hello @411pass,

If you find it does we may very well ask if you will try a beta soon. We're working on something we think will resolve this but as Jamie says we've been unable to reproduce at all making it very hard to know if we've pinned it down and if the fix will help. Only those that have been suffering the issue will be able to offer any confidence that we're on the right track which will mean finding people willing to beta test for us. We would much prefer that this wasn't necessary but a lack of steps to consistently reproduce the effect have hindered resolving this.

411pass

It hasn't happened so far today. Normally I have lots of Chrome windows and tabs opened across multiple profiles. I reduced them drastically today. Not sure if it matters or just coincidence, you tell me based on what you think the fix is.
I will ask for the beta once I can reproduce it again and try killing OnePasswordNativeMessageHost.

littlebobbytables

Hello @411pass,

The number of profiles, windows and tabs are not known factors but the fact is we don't understand why some people are affected. Those that are do seem to be routinely affected so once it reoccurs do see if terminating the OnePasswordNativeMessageHost process(s) helps and then we can try the beta :smile:

411pass

I just ran into this after a few days of no problems. There were 3 OnePasswordNativeMessageHost processes.
killall OnePasswordNativeMessageHost killed them and restarted 3 fresh ones and it works again for now.
So yes, there's something going on with OnePasswordNativeMessageHost.

AGAlumB

Thanks for letting us know! We'll see what we can do to avoid that.

jxpx777

Hi, @411pass. From the first email, I see that you were using 1Password 6.8.2. Have you tried the beta release yet to see if you still have this trouble? Since you're on the website version, it's fairly simple to switch: https://support.1password.com/betas/ We have some significant changes in this release related to this and similar issues, so if you're up for it, we'd love for you to give it a try and let us know how you get on.

--
Jamie Phelps
Code Wrangler @ AgileBits
Fort Worth, Texas

411pass

I can try it as long as it doesn't eat my passwords. Easy to update to an official release from the beta?

jxpx777

Any beta does have risks, but this one is nearing release, so it should be fairly stable. Sometimes a beta will introduce a change that prevents downgrading, but we keep these to a minimum and I don't believe there are any in the current release. Once the next stable release comes out, you can always disable the beta updates in the 1Password preferences to go back to the stable releases.

--
Jamie Phelps
Code Wrangler @ AgileBits
Fort Worth, Texas

AGAlumB

@411pass: Also, with a 1Password.com account, your encrypted data is automatically backed up offsite. And you can always backup your data in any local vaults if you're using those as well. Important to do no matter what, as disaster can strike the devices we rely on regardless of the software we're using. Better safe than sorry!

411pass

No passwords in the cloud. Ever. The minute 1Password stops supporting local password storage and LAN sync I will stop using it. I do have local backups.
The problem is silent password corruption that gets backed up and don't know about it until you need a rarely used password and discover it's gone or corrupted.

AGAlumB

@411pass: Yep. Totally. That's why 1Password.com validates the data, and also includes an item history feature. Unfortunately while you can use local vaults in 1Password, that's not possible with those since consumer filesystems don't have that kind of protection, and a local backup won't help in a disaster like a fire or break in. But, fortunately, your 1Password data is end-to-end encrypted, so 1Password simply doesn't depend on the sync service to protect your data. 1Password is secure by design, not by chance — we're not relying on someone never being able to get a hold of your device(s) for 1Password's security...and 1Password.com doesn't rely on users comping up with their own robust strategies to backup their encrypted (and probably most important) data. Cheers! :)

411pass

The main concern is honest bugs in the implementation. And don't tell me these don't happen as I can give you plenty of recent examples of famous security bugs. I hope I never have to wake up to read the headline "We're very sorry, we discovered a bug and all your passwords are now at risk, please change all our 1453 passwords."

AGAlumB

@411pass: Ours too. I don't think anyone was suggesting that software doesn't have bugs. ;)

We test 1Password extensively ourselves, as many of us are using 1Password not only as a team, but also with our families — and the last thing we want is data loss for ourselves or our customers. We've got a great team internally testing new releases before any customers use them, and many users who help test the betas in their environments as well, before they are realized "into the wild".

But regarding security, we're not doing anything new here; 1Password has had the same model for over a decade: we never have the "keys" to anyone's data, only you, as an individual user, do. And with 1Password.com, apart from our own efforts, we participate in external audits and cooperate with independent security researchers to find any flaws so we can fix them. So there are more eyes and motivated parties looking at 1Password than ever before. That's not to say that 1Password is perfect. Security is never finished. But I hope that gives you a better sense of what we're doing, and that we know what is at stake.

411pass

And so do OpenSSL and the likes yet we continue to discover security bugs that have been lurking in the code for many years. The minute you discover a security bug in 1Password code, all the data that's been stored for years will be compromised in a second.

https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities---threats/the-10-worst-vulnerabilities-of-the-last-10-years/d/d-id/1325425

The best security is to not put any sensitive data in the cloud. The minute you do, you might as well consider it at great risk. And there's no way to take your data back and make it disappear without a trace from the cloud.

Let's not hijack this thread and keep the discussion focused on the problem at hand: OnePasswordNativeMessageHost

AGAlumB

Yep. That's why 1Password data is always encrypted, wherever you choose to store it. :sunglasses:

Anyway, works for me. Just following up on the comments you made in response to me suggesting people backup their data. :lol: :+1:

littlebobbytables

Hello @411pass,

Yes there are risks with betas but as you've pointed out there can also be hidden risks with stable software too. The 6.8.3 betas have no modifications that deal with the storing or manipulation of your vault, the beta at this point is only about trying to build a more robust native messaging connection so on this particular occasion any risk is minimal. Thankfully testing and leaving the beta is as easy as a single checkbox in the AgileBits Store version of 1Password. You can enable it, and check for updates to be offered the beta and once confirmed it helps if you untick the beta checkbox the next update you'll be offered will be the next stable. As long as you do this you won't be subjected to betas any longer than you want to but it will help us learn if the native messaging improvements actually help. We have never been able to naturally reproduce the error that has plagued some people so we don't know for certain yet if this will help.

411pass

What about browsers extensions? Do they need to also be updated for the beta or is that done automatically?

littlebobbytables

Greetings @411pass,

In this case there is no benefit from running the beta extension, all the fixes we're testing are in the 1Password for Mac client. So you can keep running the stable version of the extension without issue to limit your exposure to the betas :smile:

There can be rare occasions where something we're testing require a beta for both the extension and client application but we do try to limit this where possible and will let you know if that's the case.

411pass

FWIW, after a few days of no problems, once it started happening it gets pretty bad, it looks like I have to killall OnePasswordNativeMessageHost multiple times a day now. Not sure if this helps you in any way, but somehow I do think it's related to the number of windows and profiles that I use at any one time. It seems the more windows/tabs I start using the easier it is to run into trouble.
Installing the beta soon ...

febeling

I just wanted to confirm this issue, running

1Password 6
Version 6.8.2 (682003)
AgileBits Store

on macOS 10.12.6 (16G29).

The workaround with forcing OnePasswordNativeMessageHost is effective as well.

And I also have the hunch that it's related to multi-profile work. It only ever starts to hit for me when switching profiles.

bundtkate

@411pass and @febeling: It's always helpful to know we're barking up the right tree at the very least. Did either of you give this a try with the beta as @littlebobbytables mentioned? Any feedback on improvements (or lack thereof) with the beta would also be helpful as well. Thanks to both of you for helping us track this down. :chuffed:

411pass

I have the beta running, hasn't happened yet, I'll report back in a few days or earlier if I run into the same issue.