←back to thread

1318 points xvector | 3 comments | | HN request time: 0.822s | source
Show context
rmbryan ◴[] No.19825581[source]
Update: We have rolled out a partial fix for this issue. We generated a new intermediate certificate with the same name/key but an updated validity window and pushed it out to users via Normandy (this should be most users). Users who have Normandy on should see their add-ons start working over the next few hours. We are continuing to work on packaging up the new certificate for users who have Normandy disabled.
replies(20): >>19825596 #>>19825603 #>>19825612 #>>19825623 #>>19825631 #>>19825665 #>>19825705 #>>19825721 #>>19825744 #>>19825813 #>>19825905 #>>19825998 #>>19826421 #>>19826769 #>>19826772 #>>19826878 #>>19827050 #>>19829585 #>>19831941 #>>19840386 #
inferiorhuman ◴[] No.19825665[source]
pushed it out to users via Normandy (this should be most users)

Is the existence of a back door method of updating Firefox preferences something that will be disclosed to users? What about a UI knob to disable it?

replies(6): >>19825685 #>>19825686 #>>19825716 #>>19825995 #>>19826440 #>>19826786 #
daleharvey ◴[] No.19825686[source]
> Is the existence of a back door method of updating Firefox preferences something that will be disclosed to users?

It will even be documented for them: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Normandy/PreferenceRollout

> What about a UI knob to disable it?

app.normandy.enabled

replies(5): >>19825728 #>>19825732 #>>19825745 #>>19825755 #>>19825842 #
lawl ◴[] No.19825745[source]
The UI knob is

    Options -> Privacy & Security > Allow Firefox to install and run studies
They're using the studies system to push this hotfix faster for those that have it enabled.

Edit: Source:

See: https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/certificate-issue-causing-ad...

> In order to be able to provide this fix on short notice, we are using the Studies system. You can check if you have studies enabled by going to Firefox Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Allow Firefox to install and run studies.

Normandy seems to be the internal name for this system: https://github.com/mozilla/normandy

replies(5): >>19825762 #>>19825773 #>>19826186 #>>19826841 #>>19828213 #
nanis[dead post] ◴[] No.19825773[source]
> The UI knob is

> Options -> Privacy & Security > Allow Firefox to install and run studies

That is not true. I've had that disabled forever Despite that, when I went into about:config, app.normandy.enabled was set to true, and app.normandy.user_id was defined.

So, overnight Firefox decides it won't let me use uBlock Origin any more and now I find out all my browsing history has been logged to Firefox servers.

All of this stinks.

1. DangerousPie ◴[] No.19825922[source]
> now I find out all my browsing history has been logged to Firefox servers.

Where are you getting this from?

replies(1): >>19829703 #
2. nanis ◴[] No.19829703[source]
I am getting it from the simple fact that when I looked at Normandy related settings a unique ID and an API endpoint screamed at me ... Let's assume the explanation given here regarding Normandy's endpoint is legitimate. Why am I assigned a unique ID? How hard is it to make the connection between the fact that for the past N years, despite telemetry and studies being turned off, my browser had been pinging Mozilla with this unique ID. Until proved otherwise, it is safe to assume that this was used to track browsing.
replies(1): >>19853360 #
3. sciurus ◴[] No.19853360[source]
Disclaimer: I work for Mozilla on the operations team responsible for Firefox's backend services, including Normandy.

TL;DR you are not sending us your browsing history.

If telemetry and studies were turned off, your browser wasn't sending us this unique id.

If you had kept them enabled, for normandy telemetry you would have been sending us the data described at https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/toolkit/components/n...

You can read more broadly about what data Firefox sends by default at https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox/

And learn more about the review process any data collection has to go through at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Data_Collection