plugin-container.exe internet access

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abcuser
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by abcuser »

There is probably a confusion because the name of plugin-container.exe has a strange name not related to Firefox. So I think process name should be firefox-plugin-container.exe. This way it would be more clear which process container it is from. The name plugin-container can be from any software that is using plugin. So renaming this process (Firefox developers) I think it would be a nice hit to clear confusion. Especially there was multiple forums threads on the web that assumed this is a virus. Viruses has such a confusing names...
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patrickjdempsey
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by patrickjdempsey »

As has already been stated, this is not actually Mozilla and while a handful of Mozilla developers occasionally drop by, in general they do not read every thread here. Suggestions and complaints should be taken to "hendrix.mozilla.org"
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Alice
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by Alice »

abcuser wrote:There is probably a confusion because the name of plugin-container.exe has a strange name not related to Firefox. So I think process name should be firefox-plugin-container.exe. This way it would be more clear which process container it is from. The name plugin-container can be from any software that is using plugin. So renaming this process (Firefox developers) I think it would be a nice hit to clear confusion. Especially there was multiple forums threads on the web that assumed this is a virus. Viruses has such a confusing names...


The process name used to be mozilla-runtime.exe but was changed to plugin-container. For the background, see:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=558190
Bug 558190 - Plugin container process name needs to be more appropriate

Firefox developers don't normally read this forum. If you want to post feedback, there's Hendrix.
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satyr
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by satyr »

Bluefang wrote:If it only happens when using the Flash plugin, it's anybody's guess as to what it's doing. Does it still happen with OOPP disabled?


Sorry for the off-topic question, but since I've seen this mentioned a few times (on other forums etc.) and since I am guessing it's Firefox/plugins related: what does the abbreviation OOPP stand for/what does it mean?

Thanks in advance, satyr
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by GTryder »

OOPP-- Out Of Process Plug-ins.
And not off-topic whatsoever. :)
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by patrickjdempsey »

FYI:

Electrolysis is the name of the project to bring separate processes to Firefox/Fennec (Firefox Mobile).

Out Of Process Plug-ins (OOPP) is the sub-project of Electrolysis that puts plug-ins into their own process. There are other sub-projects which are under development for Fennec and Firefox 4.0 under Electrolysis.

Lorentz is the project code name of the experimental build of Firefox 3.6 that includes OOPP and was merged into a final release in Firefox 3.6.4. You will sometimes also see the name Lorentz used to refer to the final release of Firefox 3.6.4, but project code names are dropped when releases go public. Firefox 3.6 was code named Namoroka and was sometimes also called Firefox.next.

plugin-container.exe is the name of the separate plug-in process as it appears in your Task Manager.
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by satyr »

HKPolice wrote:Can anyone explain why plugin-container.exe needs to access the net for some sites but not others? It's NOT trying to access localhost, but the actual website that I'm trying to surf. If I deny it access, everything still runs fine.


Oh and yes, why even bother with NOT allowing plugin-container.exe to connect (i.e. monitor its outbound connection)? OK, if there's some sense in not allowing it to accept inbound connection requests, filtering outbound connections (e.g. with software firewall etc.) is non-sense!

P.S. At this point I won't go to details on why this is stupid, but this is a frequently discussed topic on Ars Technica Forum and it's a widely accepted view that filtering/monitoring of outbound connection requests is pretty much pointless.
Last edited by satyr on July 12th, 2010, 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by satyr »



Thanks, I feel stupid now (since I should have known/predicted that). :)
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by GTryder »

You're welcome.
And don't feel stupid. I wasn't familiar with this acronym, either, till it was explained.
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Marcthespark
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by Marcthespark »

I have never needed this plugin container before, so why now?? i dont like when my machine is running sweet as a nut for a long time and then bang, out of nowhere a new process wants to connect to the internet to do whatever and my windows firewall does not like it?!?! my third party firewall does not seem to be bothered about it....

I'm running:
xp pro sp3 fully updated, latest Firefox, Java, Flash & Comodo Firewall.....
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by patrickjdempsey »

Marcthespark wrote:I have never needed this plugin container before, so why now?? i dont like when my machine is running sweet as a nut for a long time and then bang, out of nowhere a new process wants to connect to the internet to do whatever and my windows firewall does not like it?!?! my third party firewall does not seem to be bothered about it....

I'm running:
xp pro sp3 fully updated, latest Firefox, Java, Flash & Comodo Firewall.....


I recommend you actually read this post. It's all pretty well much explained, but to reiterate, plugin-container.exe is a the part of Firefox that runs your plugins. By isolating the plugins, which are known to cause crashes and instability and pose security risks, it allows your Firefox to be more stable, recover from crashes faster, and be more secure. If you don't want a more stable and agile Firefox, by all means disable it. Firewalls never *like* new software attempting to access the internet, that's how you know they are doing their job.
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malliz
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by malliz »

Plus running two firewalls at the same time is a very bad idea
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by Bluefang »

Plus Plus if you run the plugins in-process (<= Firefox 3.6.3), then they automatically get internet access anyways, since Firefox already has access. So there's nothing to be gained by making your firewall block it.
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satyr
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by satyr »

Marcthespark wrote:i dont like when my machine is running sweet as a nut for a long time and then bang, out of nowhere a new process wants to connect to the internet to do whatever and my windows firewall does not like it?!?!


Plus Plus Plus there's so many things wrong with your post... As first, it was explained to you what's the purpose of "plugin-container.exe" process and it was announced in Release Notes and in KB article (so it's not really "out of nowhere"), secondly, it's actually what is commonly known as crash protection feature (i.e. plugins are isolated/run inside the container process, rather than in main Firefox process), thirdly, it doesn't connect to the internet "to do whatever" but to do the same thing that was "firefox.exe" process doing before version 3.6.4 (and you can even change the congig. setting to do it in the old way), and finally, what exactly do you mean with "windows firewall does not like it"?!

P.S. I highly recommend anyone who might want to post something along those lines (e.g. why do I need this "plugin-container.exe", why is it crashing etc.) to first read the whole thread and the Plugin-container and out-of-process plugins KB article!
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Re: plugin-container.exe internet access

Post by Guest »

patrickjdempsey wrote:I recommend you actually read this post. It's all pretty well much explained, but to reiterate, plugin-container.exe is a the part of Firefox that runs your plugins. By isolating the plugins, which are known to cause crashes and instability and pose security risks, it allows your Firefox to be more stable, recover from crashes faster, and be more secure. If you don't want a more stable and agile Firefox, by all means disable it. Firewalls never *like* new software attempting to access the internet, that's how you know they are doing their job.
I'd recommend not patronising people, but I doubt that will be taken on board. It's bloatware, and it's a system hog. It in fact creates far more problems than it was allegedly intended to resolve, and makes Firefox incredibly unstable. If you do want a more stable and agile Firefox, then ditch this ludicrous nightmare that's a massive slap in the face to anyone with a system that's not top notch and revert to an earlier version instead.
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