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Microsoft Explains Mystery Firefox Extension

Posted by Soulskill on from the barn-doors-and-horses dept.

Ricky writes with a followup to news we discussed a couple days ago that a Microsoft toolbar update was installing an IE add-on and a Firefox extension without the user's consent. Quoting Ars: "Microsoft has fixed the distribution scope of a toolbar update that, without the user's knowledge, installed an add-on in Internet Explorer and an extension in Firefox called Search Helper Extension. Microsoft told us that the new update is actually the same as the old one; the only difference is the distribution settings. In other words, the update will no longer be distributed to toolbars that it shouldn't be added to. End users won't see the tweak, Microsoft told Ars, and also offered an explanation on what the mystery add-on actually does. 'The Search Enhancement Pack is a shared component used by the Windows Live Toolbar, MSN Toolbar, and Bing Bar. This component enables toolbar search functionality, like the toolbar search suggestions drop down. It is not the toolbar. It is a component used by the toolbars.'"

3 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. English Doc? by commodore64_love · · Score: 5, Insightful

    (looking perplexed)

    I still don't understand why it was added to Firefox when I'm not using MSN, Bing, or any other crap
    .

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    1. Re:English Doc? by AusIV · · Score: 4, Insightful

      How do you propose Firefox prevent the installation of an extension by software that has direct file system access? Firefox is open source, so anyone can look and see how an extension is installed. Third party software need only update the right files and the extension would be installed. Firefox had no control over any step.

      Now, this doesn't make Firefox a good target for malware writers. Anyone who can execute arbitrary code on your system doesn't need Firefox to cause problems.

  2. Always pushing... by popo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why must constant vigilance be required? There need to be fines against companies who install software without consent. It doesn't matter who you are, it should be an illegal act.

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