465897 - Skype plug-in installs itself without explicit permission from the user

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: Security, defect)

Description

[Olé]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.9.0.4) Gecko/2008102920 Firefox/3.0.4
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.9.0.4) Gecko/2008102920 Firefox/3.0.4

Today I updated Skype, and like every time I do this, I get the unwanted Skype plug-in into the firefox.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.install firefox
2.install skype
3.star firefox
Actual Results:  
the Skype plug is installed

Expected Results:  
the browser should ask for permission before it installs obscure plug-ins.

Comment 1

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

Programs that you install (and therefore grant privileges to) are also able to install addons into Firefox, and there isn't really anything that Firefox can do to prevent it. In Firefox 3, legitimate newly installed addons are mentioned at startup, and you have the option to disable them in the Addons Manager, which in Skype's case should prevent it from having any effect and persist across re-installs (unless Skype is doing something really evil). You should contact them if the Skype installer doesn't allow you to opt-out of the addon installation. Resolving INVALID, since this isn't a Firefox bug (see also bug 346960, a similar bug report).