Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

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GudgeonPin
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Joined: March 8th, 2008, 4:10 pm

Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by GudgeonPin »

Hi,

When I hover the mouse or right-click the FFx icon in the Launcher (Ubuntu 16.04, FFx 61.0.2) I get "Please confirm your identity."

What's that all about? It overrides the Ubuntu Launcher options for "Open new window" etc.

This seems to be something from only a few days back after an upgrade.

Hovering over the icon
Image

Right-click the icon
https://i.imgur.com/iDSVNqf.jpg
Last edited by Daifne on August 16th, 2018, 7:07 am, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: removed img tags. Size of image breaking forum format.
Cary G.
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Grumpus
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY?

Post by Grumpus »

Open about:config and type in captive.
There is a grab for the portal which may be the issue causing the "Please confirm your identity"
There are a number of item which can be blanked or toggled to false.
It should say Firefox Web Browser; Browse the Worldwide Web
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
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GudgeonPin
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY?

Post by GudgeonPin »

Grumpus wrote:Open about:config and type in captive.
Here's what I have as the only toggle-option, it was True and I set it to False
network.captive-portal-service.enabled

I then zeroed out everything else there. Shut down FFx and rebooted. The attached images are what I got **after** that.
Cary G.
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by Grumpus »

I haven't got a clue why this is different and can only guess it's some form of security interference from an add-on or maybe a VPN or proxy setup.
Look at /edit/preferences/general and see if the network proxy settings call for a password?
Are you sure you updated Firefox from the main Ubuntu repository and not some other repo which was added to the list of sources?
I have two other OSs running 16.04 derivatives, 18.2 mint and 18.3 Mint and do not see this.
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
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GudgeonPin
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by GudgeonPin »

Thanks, but no proxy etc. Just the stock Ubuntu and FFx. It is the FFx version that was installed with 16.04 and updated and upgraded regularly by the Ubuntu Update Manager.

As mentioned above I tried disabling all add-ons but same. The thing that tends to key it to FFx is the "Mozilla Firefox" at the end of both the hover and right click menus.

I rolled back to an image backup with FFx v58 and it is good. Seems like some "feature" with 61.

Maybe someone should look into FFx calling home in secret.
Cary G.
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Grumpus
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by Grumpus »

This is not normal for the stock Ubuntu and Firefox. There has to be something else affecting this.
Just because it says Mozilla Firefox doesn't mean it's something from the stock package.
If you start in Safe Mode does it still appear? hit in the menu /Help/Restart with add-ons disabled or type in about:profiles for the same restart.
As far as calling home, aside fro the features in Preferences you can open about:config and type "http" to see what is calling home.
You also may try the word "search" for the various Mozilla and Google protections.
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
elist74
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by elist74 »

Hi!, Check in the edits options "properties" (right click) on the firefox logo if there having "please confirm your identity" in "name" or "comment".
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by Grumpus »

@elist74 - it's always the simple things, prank or misguided systems manager?
Wonder if it's that simple or maybe an extension changes it?
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
elist74
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Joined: June 27th, 2013, 11:27 am

Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by elist74 »

Just a question GudgeonPin , when you upgrade did firefox was recently on a login or confirmation page?
Maybe the shortcut launcher was mess up.
Also maybe your firefox start page (or home page) is on a login page.

BTW "Please confirm your identity" seems to be a facebook thing.
elist74
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by elist74 »

Grumpus wrote:@elist74 - it's always the simple things, prank or misguided systems manager?
Wonder if it's that simple or maybe an extension changes it?
(For me) I prefer simples solutions (especially with linux i'm not so familiar with it) ;-)
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Grumpus
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Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by Grumpus »

@elist74 - It's like the more you know the less you help sometimes, like a tilting dummy, simple becomes overlooked and difficult becomes simple.
Imagine having access to computers in an office and setting up a startup program or macro that changes the Firefox icons text to comments?
Someone needs to work on this it could be great for moral, productivity, screwing with someone's head. ;)
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
elist74
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Joined: June 27th, 2013, 11:27 am

Re: Please confirm your identity? WHY? (Linux)

Post by elist74 »

Grumpus wrote:@elist74 - It's like the more you know the less you help sometimes, like a tilting dummy, simple becomes overlooked and difficult becomes simple.
Imagine having access to computers in an office and setting up a startup program or macro that changes the Firefox icons text to comments?
Someone needs to work on this it could be great for moral, productivity, screwing with someone's head. ;)
Very true :-)
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