1488578 - Extension block request: WebSearch Yahoo Extension {edfbec6b-8432-4856-930d-feb334fb69c1}

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Toolkit :: Blocklist Policy Requests, enhancement)

Description

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Extension name: WebSearch Yahoo Extension
Extension UUID: {edfbec6b-8432-4856-930d-feb334fb69c1}
Extension versions to block: All
Applications, versions, and platforms affected: All
Block severity: hard I think

Homepage, AMO listing, other references and contact info: 

https://addons.mozilla.org/addon/websearch-yahoo-extension9
https://reviewers.addons.mozilla.org/admin/addon/manage/833092
https://reviewers.addons.mozilla.org/reviewers/review-unlisted/833092

Reasons:

Redirecting search to yahoo.


We should look for similar add-ons as well.

They seem to come from installmall.com.

Comment 1

[John]

Hey,

We are Tightrope Interactive and we are the developer of this extension. We develop and offer users free utilities and tools in exchange for them installing our search addons. 

We uploaded it through AMO and it passed the review process - we did not know there would be an issue with this extension.

We have clear disclosure on any of our landing pages that offer a Firefox addon and that it will redirect searches. We only use the inline installation method that requires users to click multiple times on Firefox Prompts to accept installation. We do not sideload or install these extensions in a manner where the user does not know they are being installed. 

We do not currently offer any of our extensions on installmall.com and have not in a long time. They have removed our advertisements and have updated their pages.

Our addon does exactly what it describes and we also provide an options page to allow the user to turn our Search settings off. Users can also uninstall the extension, we link to the following uninstall instructions from our addon description page here: http://info.srchweb.net/uninstall/

We think this addon should not be blocked since it is approved by AMO prior to us offering this to users, our users are knowingly making a choice to install the extension, it does exactly what we say it does, and it allows users to disable it in multiple ways.

Based on the Blocking guidelines here: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Blocklisting we are not doing anything that is listed as a reason to block the software. 

Thanks,
John

Comment 2

[Andreas Wagner [:TheOne] [use NI]]

Jorge asked me to stage the block, which I just did.

Comment 3

[Kev Needham [:kev]]

(In reply to John from comment #1)

Howdy, John.

The extensions Tightrope develops violate the AMO listing policies, which your developer/organization agreed to as part of the submission process for listing on addons.mozilla.org and/or elsewhere. Per the Monetization policy (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/AMO/Policy/Reviews), extensions may not facilitate redirects that incorporate affiliate tags.

We require extensions to use the facilities within Firefox to add search engines and/or add them as default, and require users to explicitly make that choice using them. The “WebSearch Yahoo Extension” extension - and other extensions which appear to be related to it -  do not make use of those facilities, and instead rely on monitoring for and redirecting queries a user makes from search-related web pages and/or search surfaces within Firefox to an affiliate search associated with that extension. Notifying the user on installation of the extension/outside of Firefox is not sufficient, and the user must make an explicit choice through the setting of a default search engine from within Firefox, or as part of the default search overrides provided by the “chrome_settings_overrides” API.

These extensions also violate our no surprises policy, where a user should not be surprised by selecting a search engine for a query to be performed, and be redirected to a provider they did not choose.

We’ll continue with de-listing and blocklisting of these extensions, as they violate our policies and are subject to removal, per the developer agreement (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/AMO/Policy/Agreement).

k

Comment 4

[Jorge Villalobos [:jorgev] (he/him)]

The following add-ons will be blocked:

+--------+----------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
| 683460 | {686fc9c5-c339-43db-b93a-5181a217f9a6} | eShield Search Engine                      |
| 683462 | {eb4b28c8-7f2d-4327-a00c-40de4299ba44} | Openoffice Search Engine                   |
| 688029 | {58d735b4-9d6c-4e37-b146-7b9f7e79e318} | findwide Search Engine                     |
| 689705 | {ff608c10-2abc-415c-9fe8-0fdd8e988de8} | 7zip Search Engine                         |
| 702298 | {5a8145e2-6cbb-4509-a268-f3121429656c} | SurvivingMinecraft Search Engine           |
| 706422 | {6d451f29-1d6b-4c34-a510-c1234488b0a3} | Search for Firefox DLstartnow              |
| 707711 | {de71f09a-3342-48c5-95c1-4b0f17567554} | Yahoo Default Search Addon                 |
| 710174 | {df106b04-984e-4e27-97b6-3f3150e98a9e} | Search Safe Search Engine                  |
| 716686 | {70DE470A-4DC0-11E6-A074-0C08D310C1A8} | Search Safe Engine                         |
| 733314 | {4dcde019-2a1b-499b-a5cd-322828e1279b} | Search For Fire fox                        |
| 739370 | {1ec3563f-1567-49a6-bb5c-75d52334b01c} | Web Search by OfficeX                      |
| 741025 | {c140c82e-98e6-49fd-ae17-0627e6f7c5e1} | Recipetab for Fire fox                     |
| 746083 | {2581c1f6-5ad9-48d4-8008-4c37dcea1984} | Search for Fire Fox                        |
| 770774 | {a2bcc6f7-14f7-4083-b4b0-c335edc68612} | Softadstech Search Addon                   |
| 776581 | {4c726bb6-a2af-44ed-b498-794cfd8d8838} | Yahoo Default Search Addon                 |
| 778054 | {fa6c39a6-cd11-477b-966d-f388f0ba4203} | Yahoo Default Search Addon                 |
| 778493 | {26c7bd04-18d3-47f5-aeec-bb54e562acf2} | Yahoo Default Search Addon - bootstrap     |
| 784976 | {7a961c90-2071-4f94-9d9a-d4e3bbf247c0} | Search for Chrome                          |
| 790586 | {a0481ea2-03f0-4e56-a0e1-030908ecb43e} | Yahoo Default Search Addon                 |
| 790594 | {c98fb54e-d25f-43f4-bd72-dfaa736391e2} | Yahoo Default Search Addon                 |
| 791001 | {da57263d-adfc-4768-91f7-b3b076c20d63} | Yahoo Default Search addon                 |
| 793518 | {3abb352c-8735-4fb6-9fd6-8117aea3d705} | Search Private Search Engine               |
| 798300 | [e-mail]                 | Default Yahoo Search by Unzipper - wblock  |
| 798304 | {a1499769-6978-4647-ac0f-78da4652716d} | Default Yahoo Search by Unzipper - embeded |
| 798476 | {581D0A4C-1013-11E7-938B-FCD2A0406E17} | Unzipper Webextension                      |
| 813210 | {68feffe4-bfd8-4fc3-8320-8178a3b7aa67} | RecipesTab Addon - WebExt                  |
| 815239 | {823489ae-1bf8-4403-acdd-ea1bdc6431da} | OfficeX Addon                              |
| 815249 | {4c0d11c3-ee81-4f73-a63c-da23d8388abd} | SrchSafe Webext Addon                      |
| 819068 | {dc7d2ecc-9cc3-40d7-93ed-ef6f3219bd6f} | Default Yahoo Search Addon MP10            |
| 823638 | {21f29077-6271-46fc-8a79-abaeedb2002b} | WebSearch Yahoo Extension                  |
| 832474 | {55d15d4d-da76-44ab-95a3-639315be5ef8} | SrchPrivate                                |
| 833092 | {edfbec6b-8432-4856-930d-feb334fb69c1} | WebSearch Yahoo Extension                  |
| 871993 | {f81a3bf7-d626-48cf-bd24-64e111ddc580} | Manuals Library                            |
| 926498 | {4407ab94-60ae-4526-b1ab-2521ffd285c7} | OfficeX Addon for Firefox                  |
| 926500 | {4aa2ba11-f87b-4950-8250-cd977252e556} | OfficeXa                                   |
| 943437 | {646b0c4d-4c6f-429d-9b09-37101b36ed1c} | Web Genie                                  |
| 971281 | {1b2d76f1-4906-42d2-9643-0ce928505dab} | GetRecipes                                 |
| 992769 | {1869f89d-5f15-4c0d-b993-2fa8f09694fb} | Unzipper Search Addon                      |
| 993649 | {7e4edd36-e3a6-4ddb-9e98-22b4e9eb4721} | MyOfficeTab                                |
| 994737 | {e9c9ad8c-84ba-43f2-9ae2-c1448694a2a0} | Search for Recipe                          |
| 994742 | {6b2bb4f0-78ea-47c2-a03a-f4bf8f916eda} | GetRecipes                                 |
| 995171 | {539e1692-5841-4ac6-b0cd-40db15c34738} | Maps Tab                                   |
+--------+----------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+

Stuart, please review the block and push it.

Comment 5

[John]

Hey Kev,

Thanks for pointing out the new policies, especially the monetization one - we've only been working with the blocklisting policies one that is posted on all your block notices here: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Blocklisting

Before these are blocked, can we have a little time to update the extensions to include usage of the search settings API and remove the redirection? These extensions are not malicious in nature, do not inject scripts and do not collect any browsing data.

This is a policy issue and your policies have changed. That's OK. All we ask for is some notice and time to update our extensions to meet your policies before you block.

Thanks,
John

Comment 6

[Stuart Colville [:muffinresearch]]

(In reply to Jorge Villalobos [:jorgev] from comment #4)
> The following add-ons will be blocked:
> 
> +--------+----------------------------------------+--------------------------
> ------------------+
> | 683460 | {686fc9c5-c339-43db-b93a-5181a217f9a6} | eShield Search Engine   
> |
> | 683462 | {eb4b28c8-7f2d-4327-a00c-40de4299ba44} | Openoffice Search Engine
> |
> | 688029 | {58d735b4-9d6c-4e37-b146-7b9f7e79e318} | findwide Search Engine  
> |
> | 689705 | {ff608c10-2abc-415c-9fe8-0fdd8e988de8} | 7zip Search Engine      
> |
> | 702298 | {5a8145e2-6cbb-4509-a268-f3121429656c} | SurvivingMinecraft
> Search Engine           |
> | 706422 | {6d451f29-1d6b-4c34-a510-c1234488b0a3} | Search for Firefox
> DLstartnow              |
> | 707711 | {de71f09a-3342-48c5-95c1-4b0f17567554} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon                 |
> | 710174 | {df106b04-984e-4e27-97b6-3f3150e98a9e} | Search Safe Search
> Engine                  |
> | 716686 | {70DE470A-4DC0-11E6-A074-0C08D310C1A8} | Search Safe Engine      
> |
> | 733314 | {4dcde019-2a1b-499b-a5cd-322828e1279b} | Search For Fire fox     
> |
> | 739370 | {1ec3563f-1567-49a6-bb5c-75d52334b01c} | Web Search by OfficeX   
> |
> | 741025 | {c140c82e-98e6-49fd-ae17-0627e6f7c5e1} | Recipetab for Fire fox  
> |
> | 746083 | {2581c1f6-5ad9-48d4-8008-4c37dcea1984} | Search for Fire Fox     
> |
> | 770774 | {a2bcc6f7-14f7-4083-b4b0-c335edc68612} | Softadstech Search Addon
> |
> | 776581 | {4c726bb6-a2af-44ed-b498-794cfd8d8838} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon                 |
> | 778054 | {fa6c39a6-cd11-477b-966d-f388f0ba4203} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon                 |
> | 778493 | {26c7bd04-18d3-47f5-aeec-bb54e562acf2} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon - bootstrap     |
> | 784976 | {7a961c90-2071-4f94-9d9a-d4e3bbf247c0} | Search for Chrome       
> |
> | 790586 | {a0481ea2-03f0-4e56-a0e1-030908ecb43e} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon                 |
> | 790594 | {c98fb54e-d25f-43f4-bd72-dfaa736391e2} | Yahoo Default Search
> Addon                 |
> | 791001 | {da57263d-adfc-4768-91f7-b3b076c20d63} | Yahoo Default Search
> addon                 |
> | 793518 | {3abb352c-8735-4fb6-9fd6-8117aea3d705} | Search Private Search
> Engine               |
> | 798300 | [e-mail]                 | Default Yahoo Search by
> Unzipper - wblock  |
> | 798304 | {a1499769-6978-4647-ac0f-78da4652716d} | Default Yahoo Search by
> Unzipper - embeded |
> | 798476 | {581D0A4C-1013-11E7-938B-FCD2A0406E17} | Unzipper Webextension   
> |
> | 813210 | {68feffe4-bfd8-4fc3-8320-8178a3b7aa67} | RecipesTab Addon -
> WebExt                  |
> | 815239 | {823489ae-1bf8-4403-acdd-ea1bdc6431da} | OfficeX Addon           
> |
> | 815249 | {4c0d11c3-ee81-4f73-a63c-da23d8388abd} | SrchSafe Webext Addon   
> |
> | 819068 | {dc7d2ecc-9cc3-40d7-93ed-ef6f3219bd6f} | Default Yahoo Search
> Addon MP10            |
> | 823638 | {21f29077-6271-46fc-8a79-abaeedb2002b} | WebSearch Yahoo
> Extension                  |
> | 832474 | {55d15d4d-da76-44ab-95a3-639315be5ef8} | SrchPrivate             
> |
> | 833092 | {edfbec6b-8432-4856-930d-feb334fb69c1} | WebSearch Yahoo
> Extension                  |
> | 871993 | {f81a3bf7-d626-48cf-bd24-64e111ddc580} | Manuals Library         
> |
> | 926498 | {4407ab94-60ae-4526-b1ab-2521ffd285c7} | OfficeX Addon for
> Firefox                  |
> | 926500 | {4aa2ba11-f87b-4950-8250-cd977252e556} | OfficeXa                
> |
> | 943437 | {646b0c4d-4c6f-429d-9b09-37101b36ed1c} | Web Genie               
> |
> | 971281 | {1b2d76f1-4906-42d2-9643-0ce928505dab} | GetRecipes              
> |
> | 992769 | {1869f89d-5f15-4c0d-b993-2fa8f09694fb} | Unzipper Search Addon   
> |
> | 993649 | {7e4edd36-e3a6-4ddb-9e98-22b4e9eb4721} | MyOfficeTab             
> |
> | 994737 | {e9c9ad8c-84ba-43f2-9ae2-c1448694a2a0} | Search for Recipe       
> |
> | 994742 | {6b2bb4f0-78ea-47c2-a03a-f4bf8f916eda} | GetRecipes              
> |
> | 995171 | {539e1692-5841-4ac6-b0cd-40db15c34738} | Maps Tab                
> |
> +--------+----------------------------------------+--------------------------
> ------------------+
> 
> Stuart, please review the block and push it.

Approved and pushed

Comment 7

[Jorge Villalobos [:jorgev] (he/him)]

Hello John,

Our No Surprises policy is not new. Meeting user expectations when using core Firefox features and requesting opt-in for unexpected behavior linked to monetization have always been part of our policies and worth blocklisting when not followed.

We’ve reviewed the extensions in question and decided to keep the blocks in place and the add-ons disabled on AMO. You are free to create new extensions that follow our policies and distribute those instead of the blocked ones. The blocked ones won’t be updatable.