Search Helper Extension

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
kygin
Posts: 79
Joined: November 16th, 2004, 5:59 pm

Search Helper Extension

Post by kygin »

There is an uninstall button for the Search Helper add-on. Is there some reason not to get rid of it THAT way?
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Rocketman
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Joined: January 3rd, 2004, 1:51 pm
Location: New York

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by Rocketman »

ars technica has a story about the secret extension. Not much info is known about it though. http://tinyurl.com/33hxq6d Glad I don't use M$ update.
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -- Ben Franklin
GGooden
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GGooden »

kygin wrote:There is an uninstall button for the Search Helper add-on. Is there some reason not to get rid of it THAT way?


For me the Uninstall is greyed out. Happened to me this morning after windows updates (Windows 7 64bit).. Geez Microsoft.
kygin
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Joined: November 16th, 2004, 5:59 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by kygin »

Okay, it is for me too. I had it disabled and thought that was why the uninstall was gray. Enabled it and uninstall is still grayed out. I've disabled it again, but now I am doubly irritated at MS. Not only are they mucking around with a program that doesn't belong to MS, they're doing it without user permission.
kygin
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Joined: November 16th, 2004, 5:59 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by kygin »

Quote from the ars technica article:

"Additional testing determined that the update is only being offered to those with one of the Microsoft toolbars installed, regardless of whether they are enabled or disabled. It's unknown how many users fall into that scenario, but the toolbars often come bundled with new PCs and popular Microsoft downloads."

They're wrong. I don't have, never have had, any of the three - Windows Live Toolbar, MSN Toolbar, or Bing Bar - on any browser on this computer.
ghaspias
Posts: 1
Joined: June 1st, 2004, 2:52 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by ghaspias »

I'd like to reinstate the question of a previous poster:

Why should FF activate an extension that appeared from nowhere, when a user clicking on an install button at mozilla add-ons site (or droping a xpi) still requires a confirmation?

That's a massive security flaw!

That functionality, albeit useful, shouldn't ever be active without explicit user activation.
Toksic
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by Toksic »

Same thing happened to my FF. The only difference I've noticed so far is that there is now a "Microsoft Support Search" added to the list of search engines in the search box. Nonetheless, I am still annoyed that Microsoft thinks it is ok to arbitrarily tack on something to my FF browser WITHOUT asking, and worst of all, disabling the Uninstall button! Why do they keep doing stupid things like that?!
crushing iniquity
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someday we'll have an extensions *manager*

Post by crushing iniquity »

the new extensions "manager" allegedly will prompt users for permission to install from the staging area
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dfoulkes
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by dfoulkes »

I just updated my Win7/64bit and the issue presented in this topic did not get installed... so, if it's a MS Win update thing I would assume/think that every Win7 user would get it.
As you can see she's (The CAT) always alert and on the prowl for Meoware !!
GTryder
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

Toksic wrote:Nonetheless, I am still annoyed that Microsoft thinks it is ok to arbitrarily tack on something to my FF browser WITHOUT asking, and worst of all, disabling the Uninstall button! Why do they keep doing stupid things like that?!
Because they can. BillG and his crew, could make a M/S OS do cartwheels, if they wanted.

In this case, it appears that they thought it might be a cute way for us Firefox users to "enjoy the added? functionality of their wonderful products" once again.
If they would have kept better focus on Internet Exploder, there might not have been the market niche opening for other, better browsers. AKA: FIREFOX :!: :D

Silent/stealth installs, of difficult to remove 'garbage', doesn't exactly seem like a smart business decision, either.
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
GTryder
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

dfoulkes wrote:I just updated my Win7/64bit and the issue presented in this topic did not get installed... so, if it's a MS Win update thing I would assume/think that every Win7 user would get it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982217 wrote:An update is available through Microsoft Update for Windows Live Toolbar, MSN Toolbar, and Bing Bar. This update fixes an issue in the homepage category functionality of these toolbars.
Issues that this update fixes
In an Internet browser, you specify a homepage that is not a fully qualified URL. However, Windows Live Toolbar, MSN Toolbar, or Bing Bar may not categorize your homepage correctly. Therefore, the homepage reporting may be generated incorrectly for users who select the Help improve our services option when they install these toolbars. Article ID: 982217 - Last Review: June 8, 2010 - Revision: 2.0
Seems to be mainly an issue when these M/S toolbars are/have been installed. Though, the "Help improve our services option, mentioned (and other portions of their quoted text), has me wondering their exact mechanism/dispersal.
Then, again, this is still a relatively newly reported issue...
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
kswartz
Posts: 85
Joined: August 18th, 2004, 4:54 pm

Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by kswartz »

GTryder wrote:
Toksic wrote:Nonetheless, I am still annoyed that Microsoft thinks it is ok to arbitrarily tack on something to my FF browser WITHOUT asking, and worst of all, disabling the Uninstall button! Why do they keep doing stupid things like that?!
Because they can. BillG and his crew, could make a M/S OS do cartwheels, if they wanted.


Not to nitpick or anything, but it's kinda SteveB and his crew now. BillG's crew is busy giving money away.

:)
- Keith
Software & Compliance Architect
GTryder
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by GTryder »

In further review, from:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982217 wrote:Prerequisites
To apply this update, you must have Microsoft Search Enhancement Pack installed.
Update replacement information
This update does not replace a previously released update.
File information
The English (United States) version of this update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables.
SEPSearchHelperff.dll 3.0.126.0 5/14/2010 226KB
SEPSearchHelperie.dll 3.0.126.0 5/14/2010 187KB
It appears that this 'first issue' [?Enhancement? > prerequisite] release specifically targets a driver (dll) towards FireFox.
As with .EXE's, .DLL's can contain code, data, and resources, in any combination.
Note that there are eighteen 'other' files installed with this ?"Improvement"?.
Ab subabsurda numquid ad veritas. "From the somewhat absurd possibility to reality."
Shapeshifter1
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by Shapeshifter1 »

ghaspias wrote:I'd like to reinstate the question of a previous poster:

Why should FF activate an extension that appeared from nowhere, when a user clicking on an install button at mozilla add-ons site (or dropping a xpi) still requires a confirmation?

That's a massive security flaw!

That functionality, albeit useful, shouldn't ever be active without explicit user activation.


Your question will fall on def ears. Mozilla corp has become major losers, Google money spoiled them and they hired ex-Microsoft people, so no wonder Firefox has had so many security problems and is broken by design.
Yes, BROKEN BY DESIGN!! , just like all Microsoft software.
I don't understand why they didn't' implement in the very beginning a mechanism that simply locks extension installing until the user unlocks it (when ready to install more extensions)?
It would be suck a simple measure and would prevent tempering with the browser.
But what do you expect from corporate fat cats that have become fat and lazy.
I can't wait, and pray for the day when Mozilla loses their Google revenue. And it's back to grass roots, free, open source, development, after the fat cats are gone.
I blame Mozilla for this 100%, Microsoft does what Microsoft does, that's why they are a convicted monopolist.
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djst
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Re: Search Helper Extension

Post by djst »

ghaspias wrote:Why should FF activate an extension that appeared from nowhere, when a user clicking on an install button at mozilla add-ons site (or droping a xpi) still requires a confirmation?

That's a massive security flaw!

That functionality, albeit useful, shouldn't ever be active without explicit user activation.

That actually sounds like a great idea and would fit in well with one of the core philosophies of Firefox, which is to put the user in control.
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