Closed Bug 798621 Opened 12 years ago Closed 8 years ago

Ad-Aware Security Toolbar doesn't follow install / uninstall guidelines

Categories

(Toolkit :: Blocklist Policy Requests, defect, P3)

defect

Tracking

()

VERIFIED FIXED
2014-10

People

(Reporter: jorgev, Assigned: jorgev)

References

()

Details

(Whiteboard: [squeaky])

The application can be obtained here:

http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Free-Antivirus/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-&subj=dl&tag=button

It overlays the opt-in screen with an arrow for one of the add-ons it installs, and it doesn't revert the homepage and default search engine when removed.

I have contacted them through their website (http://www.lavasoft.com).
The conversation was dropped long ago, and now things are even worse and the add-on is just being silently installed.

ID: {87934c42-161d-45bc-8cef-ef18abe2a30c}
Component: Add-ons → Blocklisting
Product: Tech Evangelism → addons.mozilla.org
Target Milestone: --- → 2014-02-04
Blocked: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/blocked/i547
Assignee: nobody → jorge
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 10 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Verified as fixed : http://screencast.com/t/kCxX92wQ3Yoy
Status: RESOLVED → VERIFIED
Hi,

My name is Romain and I work at Lavasoft. 
I would like to discuss with someone in charge of add-on at Mozilla to fix what's needed to be fixed in order to get our security product compliant. 

Can one of you contact me directly to discuss the matter?
Thanks
As a consumer, this is 1000% ABSURD that FF block the Lavasoft Plug In! Lavasoft Adware is one of THE most highly respected anti viral, anti ad ware, ad blocker, etc out on the market. It started off doing nothing BUT blocking ads and unwanted pop ups and add software.

1) It doesn't install ANYTHING without getting 100% compliance from the user. 
2) It ASKS AS PLAIN AS DAY IN THE SETUP PROGRAM IF YOU WANT THE HELPER TOOLBAR OR ANY OTHER BROWSER AD ONS! If you uncheck them... they don't get installed.
3) If you do check them , they get installed

What upsets me, as a consumer, is the people who run FF have decided to BLOCK this toolbar. I LIKE this toolbar... and who are YOU people to tell ME what I can and CANT use on my computer.

Up until now FF has been my most FAVORITE browser due to the sheer speed, flexibility and customization. If I don't see at least an OPTION for a user to reliable this, then I will go to Chrome. I refuse to use IE... and I'm not too fond of Chrome.. but at least I can use a the toolbar on Chrome.

The toolbar actually HELPS you search by giving you tested and virus free sites!

@Jorge .. it's NOT being silently installed! I have 2 PCs and 3 laptops at home... I ONLY get the toolbar and ADD in IF.. AND ONLY IF I tell the installer I want it.

I can only see , for some reason, the people who make FF, have some unknown issue with Lavasoft they are not willing to admit to the public
Fire fox won't even allow me to enable it.. the open is 100% greyed out... Again.. I'm a consumer.. if I CHOOSE to install a respected, well known software, you all don't have any business preventing me from running it. I do get that you may not like it, and set it to DISABLED by default.. but to prevent me from ENABLING it absurd.
(In reply to Jorge Villalobos [:jorgev] from comment #1)
> The conversation was dropped long ago, and now things are even worse and the
> add-on is just being silently installed.
> 
> ID: {87934c42-161d-45bc-8cef-ef18abe2a30c}

It's never silently installed itself. I don't know where you people are getting your data from. It always asks a user if they want it
Hello David,

The reason the add-on was blocked is because it violates the Add-ons Guidelines: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/Add-on_guidelines, particularly the section on installation. When we say it was silently installed, it means that the opt-in that should appear inside the Firefox window doesn't appear. This only happens if the installer explicitly attempts to bypass our opt-in system, which is why we decided to block it. If you look at the date of the first and second comments (2012-10-05 and 2014-01-30), you'll see that we tried for a long time to have them fix the installer, and yet they didn't. That's why we ultimately did the block.

Now, you mention that you can't enable it again. That is definitely not the intended behavior. It should be possible to go to the Add-ons Manager and enable the add-on again. If you're interested in filing a bug report for this problem, I can help you do that.

Furthermore, the newest version of the Lavasoft installer and the Ad-Aware Security Toolbar should install in Firefox without any problems. The block is limited to previous versions of the toolbar that were silently installed. The newer versions shouldn't do that and shouldn't be affected by the block.
The new installer still changes settings (homepage and search) before the add-on install opt-in happens, so there's still work to do here.
Status: VERIFIED → REOPENED
Resolution: FIXED → ---
Target Milestone: 2014-02-04 → 2014-08
Hello George,

To what I understand, version 3.9.0.25 of the add-on is compliant regarding not changing the homepage and search settings before the add-on opt-in is accepted.

Can you confirm this up? We want to make sure Lavasoft will be ready for the new Target Milestone Kris just changed.

Thanks!
I receive a sample a week or two ago. I still need to give it a try and won't move this bug forward until I do.
Priority: -- → P3
Any update on this?
Target Milestone: 2014-08 → 2014-09
Target Milestone: 2014-09 → 2014-10
The latest changes we did the past months include fixes to follow your guidelines. As such, can we close this issue?
No, I just installed the latest version and it still changes the homepage and default search without the add-on opt-in. In fact, I didn't get an add-on at all.
Flags: needinfo?(sylvaing)
Hi Jorge,
I think you did not test the right product and version.  I will post the link here on Monday for you to review.
I downloaded it from http://lavasoft.com/
My guess is that you downloaded Ad-Aware Free Antivirus, which is an antivirus desktop product and is not related with Firefox.

You can download the latest Toolbar version here: http://toolbar.lavasoft.com
It still changes Firefox settings without any opt-in or a simple way to revert them in Firefox, so it is part of the problem.
Are you sure you tested this link: toolbar.lavasoft.com? 
The add-on shows an opt-in screen in Firefox before getting installed, and shows a dialog to revert the search settings when the user disables or uninstalls the add-on:
http://www.screencast.com/t/NvrcWbUS4Cw
http://www.screencast.com/t/YAr6bnxmOz

From our understanding, this implementation is fully compliant with FF add-on policy. If it's not, can you explain us why and send us examples and builds of compliant implementations? Thanks.
Jan 2016 update :

This toolbar has been reviewed and signed by TheOne
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/addon/ad-aware-security-toolbar/versions

Version 4.2.0.1 - November 26, 2015

As such, it should follow AMO guidelines. As such this issue should be closed.

Also, to my best knowledge, this Toolbar is now getting distributed anymore. Maybe Romain can confirm this up.

Thanks!
Flags: needinfo?(sylvaing)
Just tested 4.2.0.1 again and it displays an opt-in dialog (and the features are actually opt-in).
Status: REOPENED → RESOLVED
Closed: 10 years ago8 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Status: RESOLVED → VERIFIED
Product: addons.mozilla.org → Toolkit
You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.