475938 - Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant Add on is installed without user consent and not removable

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 446139

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Elomir]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.5) Gecko/2008120122 Firefox/3.0.5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.5) Gecko/2008120122 Firefox/3.0.5

Microsoft distributes with various programmes its 
Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant Add on
which installs itself into Firefox without asking the user if it is allowed to do so. The user is not even explicitely told that this add on is to be installed. Also protable or new Firefox are "infected" with this add on. It gives information to websites and makes it easier for software from websites to be installed to the PC. The Add on cannot be deinstalled. Typical Trojan programm! Also all my other Add ons (e. g. UnPlug, SwitchProxy, Pref bar etc.) stop to function!

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install Firefox.
2. Install e. g. MS Office or some other MS programm including .Net support.
3. Check the Add ons in Firefox.
Actual Results:  
A hostile Add on named Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant has been installed and cannot be removed anymore.

Expected Results:  
- Firefox should prevent other programs installing Add ons without the users explicit consent.
- Each and every Add on should be possible to uninstall.

- information is revealed (against users wish)
- software can be installed (possibly against users wish)
- other add ons cease to function

Comment 1

[Robert Longson [:longsonr]]

Your problem is step 2. Executables can do anything they want basically, nothing firefox can do to stop it I'm afraid. Not sure if there is something to dup this to, otherwise this kind of issue is normally wontfixed.

You should be able to disable the add on.

Comment 2

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

this is a clear wontfix but i found something to dupe.
You have to uninstall it through the application that installed it and if the application doesn't ask you if it should install an addon you should complain at the vendor of that addon.