Firefox to block unwanted add-ons

Mozilla is changing Firefox to manage add-ons better, and specifically to deal with applications which install add-ons to the browser without asking the users’ permission first.

Whilst users often visit Firefox’s official gallery to get add-ons – more than 1.5 million are downloaded every day – the makers of the browser say that users often don’t realise that some add-ons are installed by applications without consent.

Too many of these can cause problems with the browser, causing it to load slowly and cluttering the interface with unnecessary and often unused toolbars. These can cause security problems too, as the developer often doesn’t release important security updates.

From this week onwards, Firefox Aurora (basically an alpha or pre-beta version of the browser) will have these new add-on management routines in place.

Should the browser start and find that a third-party program has installed an add-on, it will be automatically disabled unless the user has explicitly allowed it to run. Users will be prompted to allow installation, making it easier for them to know what is being added to their browser and when.

To enable users to clean up their current add-ons, when the upcoming version of Firefox is installed, users will be presented with a list and can then choose to disable or keep any of their add-ons.

Mozilla says it is the “extent of unwanted add-ons installed through these methods has caused [them] to take action.”

The company goes on to say that whilst it understands that developers often have legitimate causes for using add-ons, responsible creators opt-in and follow their guidelines. They also recommend that users disable any add-ons that they don’t use in order to experience the best browser performance.

The new version of Firefox Aurora is out this week, and this feature should land in a few months time in Firefox proper.