Firefox 26 Beta Blocks All Plugins Except Flash by Default

[Matsuda]

Mozilla is making good on its promise to block most browser plugins in Firefox. The latest Firefox 26 beta blocks all plugins, with the sole exception of Flash, from loading on demand when they are needed on a page.

Plugins can still be loaded if they are needed, but users have to specify that they want to allow the particular plugin to run for the page they're visiting. The feature, called "click to play" has been part of Firefox for months, but is now turned on by default for the first time.

Users can disable the functionality entirely, to either allow all plugins all the time or block all plugins all the time.

Still, the move is a major one. Users tend to stick to the default settings in their browser, meaning that a lot of people will be protected from vulnerabilities in Java or any other plugin.

A much better solution would be for people to remove outdated plugins that they don't even use from their system, but that's not going to happen any time soon.

Mozilla isn't even the only one moving beyond plugins, Google has announced that Chrome will be dropping support for all NPAPI plugins, including Java, over the coming year.

View: Original Article

[banned]

A much better solution would be for people to remove outdated plugins that they don't even use from their system

Microsoft puts insecure plugins in the browser, and provide no easy way to remove them.

Does anyone know of a tool that actually uninstalls/deletes Firefox plugins? So far all I found was CCleaner, but that only seems to delete extensions, not plugins.

Edited November 1, 2013 by banned

[Lacius]

Personally, I think this is excellent news. However, I would have perhaps made an exception for Silverlight, as well as Flash, as much as they're used.

A much better solution would be for people to remove outdated plugins that they don't even use from their system

Microsoft puts insecure plugins in the browser, and provide no easy way to remove them.

Does anyone know of a tool that actually uninstalls/deletes Firefox plugins? So far all I found was CCleaner, but that only seems to delete extensions, not plugins.

It depends on the plugin. CCleaner does give you access to plugins, but many can only be disabled from CCleaner and cannot be easily deleted without uninstalling the accompanying software. For example, if one wants to delete the Microsoft Silverlight plugin, one should uninstall Microsoft Silverlight.

Rarely, plugins will appear with no accompanying software but are unable to be deleted. For example, even with Java uninstalled, lingering traces of the plugin might show up in Firefox and in CCleaner. CCleaner is great for telling you exactly where a plugin is located so one can manually delete the file.

[spicey]

Rarely, plugins will appear with no accompanying software but are unable to be deleted. For example, even with Java uninstalled, lingering traces of the plugin might show up in Firefox and in CCleaner. CCleaner is great for telling you exactly where a plugin is located so one can manually delete the file.

How do you use CCleaner to locate a plugin? Is it the same as about:plugins? I want to remove some plugins, can I just delete the plugins manually? And can I delete the other files marked as from the same company as the plugins I want to delete?

[Lacius]

How do you use CCleaner to locate a plugin? Is it the same as about:plugins? I want to remove some plugins, can I just delete the plugins manually? And can I delete the other files marked as from the same company as the plugins I want to delete?

If there are plugins that refuse to go away, open CCleaner, go to Tools, Startup, and go to the Firefox tab. You will find your list of plugins. If you cannot delete them from there, and you've tried uninstalling the software the plugin came with, try going to the file location and deleting the plugin manually.

[spicey]

If there are plugins that refuse to go away, open CCleaner, go to Tools, Startup, and go to the Firefox tab. You will find your list of plugins. If you cannot delete them from there, and you've tried uninstalling the software the plugin came with, try going to the file location and deleting the plugin manually.

It seems the delete option is grayed out on all plugins in Tools > Startup > FireFox. The plugin was left by some toolbar. The toolbar itself was already removed, but the plugins. So, manual deletion is safe? What about the other files marked as being from the same company? Is it safe to delete them, too?

[uVSthem]

Is there anyway to turn this off?

[Lacius]

It seems the delete option is grayed out on all plugins in Tools > Startup > FireFox. The plugin was left by some toolbar. The toolbar itself was already removed, but the plugins. So, manual deletion is safe? What about the other files marked as being from the same company? Is it safe to delete them, too?

The option to delete plugins is often times grayed out. That's why you should uninstall the accompanying software first, which you seem to have already done. Since it still has some lingering files, it should be safe to delete those manually. I can't speak for the other files marked as being from the same company, but if we're talking about invasive software you never meant to install, it's probably safe to delete it.

Is there anyway to turn this off?

Yes, users will be able to disable this function and have Firefox behave as it does now with plugins. The new behavior will be enabled by default, however.

[spicey]

The option to delete plugins is often times grayed out. That's why you should uninstall the accompanying software first, which you seem to have already done. Since it still has some lingering files, it should be safe to delete those manually. I can't speak for the other files marked as being from the same company, but if we're talking about invasive software you never meant to install, it's probably safe to delete it.

We are, it's installed by search.us. I used AdwCleaner and JRT, but there is still a folder called TNT2 in \AppData\Local\ where those plugins' dlls are. Is it safe to delete the whole TNT2 folder or should I zip it before deleting in case I need it late?

[banned]

You've done well at re-phrasing my question into two paragraphs, but I already mentioned CCleaner doesn't quite do what I ask. I already know the location of plugins, since Firefox itself provides me the filename.

It depends on the plugin. CCleaner does give you access to plugins, but many can only be disabled from CCleaner and cannot be easily deleted without uninstalling the accompanying software. For example, if one wants to delete the Microsoft Silverlight plugin, one should uninstall Microsoft Silverlight.

Rarely, plugins will appear with no accompanying software but are unable to be deleted. For example, even with Java uninstalled, lingering traces of the plugin might show up in Firefox and in CCleaner. CCleaner is great for telling you exactly where a plugin is located so one can manually delete the file.

[sanjoa]

Firefox builders are going paranoid with insecure plugins

[Lacius]

We are, it's installed by search.us. I used AdwCleaner and JRT, but there is still a folder called TNT2 in \AppData\Local\ where those plugins' dlls are. Is it safe to delete the whole TNT2 folder or should I zip it before deleting in case I need it late?

It sounds to me like it's safe to delete the TNT2 folder. If you continue to have reservations, just delete the plugins but keep the folder.

You've done well at re-phrasing my question into two paragraphs, but I already mentioned CCleaner doesn't quite do what I ask. I already know the location of plugins, since Firefox itself provides me the filename.

No, you asked what could delete plugins and said CCleaner cannot; I corrected your misinformation and told you it can. I answered why specific plugins, if not all of them, lack the option to delete them in CCleaner. I also explained how you can delete plugins using CCleaner and the file locations provided. Finally, I explained reasons why the automatic deletion of a plugin from a third-party program like CCleaner sometimes requires manual intervention: uninstalling accompanying software, third-party programs like CCleaner not knowing what to do with leftover files, etc.

In summary, CCleaner is your best option for deleting plugins, some plugins might require manual intervention by virtue of how many plugins are installed and work, and any other third-party program is going to have the same limitations as CCleaner. A simple "thank you" would have sufficed.

[spicey]

It sounds to me like it's safe to delete the TNT2 folder. If you continue to have reservations, just delete the plugins but keep the folder.

I don't like those other files because some of them are labeled search.us, but I don't know what they are for either or if they are important. I think I'm going to back up the folder and then delete it. Thank you for your explanations :)

[uVSthem]

Please tell me the steps to turn it off.

Is there anyway to turn this off?

Yes, users will be able to disable this function and have Firefox behave as it does now with plugins. The new behavior will be enabled by default, however.