Avast Online Security - Add-on signing in Firefox

[pemigabo123]

Hello,

since a few days Avast Online Security AddOn works no longer in Mozilla Firefox 66.0.3.
There is an error message in Firefox AddOns that Avast Online Security AddOn could not be verified,
and so it was deactivated by Firefox.
Some days before it worked well without any error message in Mozilla Firefox 66.0.3 version.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-on-signing-in-firefox

This had helped, but I had to install another Mozilla Firefox version,
and the error message in Firefox is still
Avast Online Security could not be verified in Firefox.
Proceed with caution.
Avast Online Security is still not verified in Mozilla Firefox Browser.

Notice:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-on-signing-in-firefox

What is add-on signing?

Mozilla verifies and "signs" add-ons that follow a set of security guidelines.
All add-ons hosted on addons.mozilla.org have to go through this process in order to be signed.
Add-ons hosted on other sites will need to follow the same guidelines in order to be signed by Mozilla.
Developers: To learn more about the add-on signing guidelines, see Signing and distributing your add-on
and Review Policies at Mozilla Developer Network.

While Firefox currently has a blocklist system, it is becoming difficult to track and block the growing number
of malicious, or unverified add-ons. The add-on signing process requires developers to follow Mozilla Developer
guidelines. Add-on signing in Firefox helps protect against browser hijackers and other malware by making it
harder for them to be installed.

Firefox prevents you from installing unsigned add-ons and disables any unsigned add-ons that are already
installed.

Updating AddOn Avast Online Security:
I want to request to Avast Online Security Developers to update Avast Online Security AddOn
for its verification in Mozilla Firefox Browser.

I find Avast Online Security a useful add-on for blocking advertising or user tracking elements on websites.
It should of course be ensured that the use of Avast Online Security is safe and that it is not evaluated by Avast
which websites I visit.

Thank you.

best regards
pemigabo123

[Asyn]

Hi, it's a known FF bug, see: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1548973

[pemigabo123]

Hi, it's a known FF bug, see: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1548973

Hello,

thank you for the suggestion, but the link you suggested does not solve the technical issue I described in my post.
And I think it's a technical issue that affects Avast Online Security Developers and not primarily bugs at https://bugzilla.mozilla.org.

As you have read in my post I requested for an update of Avast Online Security AddOn to the Avast Online Security
Developers, which is recommended of Mozilla Support if an AddOn could not be verified in Mozilla Firefox.

I am not a PC freak like maybe some others and if I use something on my PC it has to work, otherwise it is in need
for another solution.

I would like to wait for an answer from the Avast Online Security Developers, and hope for a quick solution of the
technical issue, and that the Avast Online Security AddOn will be properly verified again in Mozilla Firefox as before.
I would expect that from a reputable anti-virus software.

If Mozilla Firefox has changed a set of predefined security guidelines, the add-on developers will have to modify
the add-ons, otherwise one will get the described error message that an add-on for Firefox could not be verified.
I can't imagine Mozilla Firefox changes the security guidelines again to simplify the verification for the Avast Online
Security AddOn.
The Avast Online Security AddOn should be adapted to the new security guidelines for Mozilla Firefox AddOns in order
to guarantee the highest possible security for the PC.

Exactly, the website of the given link only contains gibberish for me without reference to my described technical issue.
It is not the first help for me to solve the described technical issue.
Avast Online Security is also not mentioned in the given link.

best regards
pemigabo123

[Asyn]

More here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=227020.0

[mchain]

hi pemigabo123,

It's not just AOS that is affected.  Several major add-on vendors are affected by this FF bug, as noted in the link Asyn provided.
I lost:

• AOS
• No Coin
• BitDefender Traffic Light
• Privacy Possum
• Privacy Badger

and two more not listed as well, for a total of seven.  All were said to be disabled and using the options provided by Firefox, no suitable replacements were found.  (If you run your browser in a sandbox, you can get the add-ons restored instantly)

All gone.  Poof!  Don't worry Firefox developers have a permanent fix on the way.

[schmidthouse]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

[Asyn]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

Lucky you..!!

[schmidthouse]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

Lucky you..!!

I guess. 

[chris...]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

Also interesting , I have 2 ps of fairly identical configuration (W7 64bit + FF66.0.3 + same addons) , the first one is affected , the 2nd no 
In the meantime , the temporary solution of the Mozilla study system seems to work...
https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/certificate-issue-causing-add-ons-to-be-disabled-or-fail-to-install/39047

Edit:sorry , already post by Asyn
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=227020.msg1504558#msg1504558

[schmidthouse]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

Also interesting , I have 2 ps of fairly identical configuration (W7 64bit + FF66.0.3 + same addons) , the first one is affected , the 2nd no 
In the meantime , the temporary solution of the Mozilla study system seems to work...
https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/certificate-issue-causing-add-ons-to-be-disabled-or-fail-to-install/39047

Edit:sorry , already post by Asyn
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=227020.msg1504558#msg1504558

Yes, well here neither(2) of the Win 10 machines are affected at this point.
Makes one wonder what the different variable could be...Yeh could be anything

[chris...]

I suppose you have checked that this variable is not that the studies are enabled in the firefox options?

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.

[=Snake=]

Interesting, as I run AOA, Last Pass and UBorigin with the latest FF and all are working and have been working fine....so far.

Also interesting , I have 2 ps of fairly identical configuration (W7 64bit + FF66.0.3 + same addons) , the first one is affected , the 2nd no 

As I saw the warning, I didn't know, that it was really working. Since I have much trouble with my W7 pc (part of AMD_Athlon 1800+), for I had to do a clean install of W7 (3.rd time during the last 9 months!) and wondered, if I can't get W7 and AOS installed.

My W10 laptop, I don't use at the moment. So, what to install instead of AOS and Firefox ESR, that fits all Windows os.

[DavidR]

Mozilla have released firefox 66.0.4 and this should resolve the issue.

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=227020.msg1504708#msg1504708

[=Snake=]

Mozilla have released firefox 66.0.4 and this should resolve the issue.

Thx, David. But how about the lot of users, who can't install '66.0.4'?

[chris...]

Why can't these people install this version since it is now officially a release version that is (or will be very soon) updated automatically?
Or do you want to talk about the ESR version? In this case Mozilla has also just released version 60.6.2 esr