A Firefox release is being pushed — version 66.0.4 on Desktop and Android, and version 60.6.2 for ESR. This release repairs the certificate chain to re-enable web extensions, themes, search engines, and language packs that had been disabled (Bug 1549061). There are remaining issues that we are actively working to resolve, but we wanted to get this fix out before Monday to lessen the impact of disabled add-ons before the start of the week. More information about the remaining issues can be found by clicking on the links to the release notes above. (May 5, 13:22 EDT)
Thank you, imacri, for your excellent suggestion. I am a technophobe and probably shouldn't be on this Tech Outpost forum but the thread is wholly relevant to the problem.. If I follow your advice I shall probably mess it up. I prefer to wait and pray that Norton supply the fix for ESR 52.9.0. After all I should get my money's worth to use glitch free maintenance mode. I note from research the latest Safe Web add on is said to cover Firefox 48 and above. I hope that's true.
Looks as though Add-ons up & running again (at least for Norton). I have 'Studies' ticked which might help although was ticked when problem originally surfaced. Based in UK.
I am in the same boat as you, imacri. I also use Firefox ESR 52.9.0 with my XP SP3 machine ...I note that they are still working on fixing Firefox ESR so we will probably wait longer
Hi imbart:
If you want to re-enable your extensions while you're waiting for a permanent fix for Firefox ESR v52.9.0 try the workaround posted <above>. Type about:config in your address bar and click I Accept the Risk when you see the warning This might void your warranty!. Then search for xpinstall.signatures.required and double-click the setting to change the value from TRUE to FALSE . If and when a permanent fix is released for the unsupported FF ESR v52.9.0 you can go back into your configuration settings and double-click xpinstall.signatures.required to toggle the value back to the default TRUE.
The Firefox ESR they are referring to in the Mozilla blog entry Update Regarding Add-ons in Firefox might be FF ESR v 60.6.1 (released 22-Mar-2019) for Win 7 and higher. I'm hoping Mozilla will also release a permanent fix for the FF ESR v52.9.0 (released 26-Jun-2018) for Win XP and Vista, but I haven't seen any official confirmation yet that this unsupported browser will eventually be fixed.
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22
I followed the suggested studies fix from Mozilla and all three extensions I use are working. Quickest fix for now. Looks like the hotfix is almost ready.
I am in the same boat as you, imacri. I also use Firefox ESR 52.9.0 with my XP SP3 machine which is on Norton "maintenance mode". I was alarmed to see the red message telling me that Norton Safe Web could not be verified and had been disabled. I checked my Norton Internet Security and all seemed well (i.e Systray green tick symbol and You are Protected etc). However the Identity (or Online Safety) section confirmed that the Safe Web had been disabled and a yellow box invited me to "Set Up Now". Needless to say clicking this did nothing. I keep XP SP3 because I have years of stuff on it and it is so easy to use. I also have a Windows 7 computer which I find more complicated and restrictive in comparison. I note that they are still working on fixing Firefox ESR so we will probably wait longer
The latest available announcements on this topic are now being posted on the public Mozilla Add-ons Blog at Update Regarding Add-ons in Firefox, which confirms that the fix being rolled out via the Shield Studies feature does not apply to FF ESR (extended support release) editions:
... It may take up to six hours for the Study to be applied to Firefox. To check if the fix has been applied, you can enter “about:studies” in the location bar. If the fix is in the active, you’ll see “hotfix-update-xpi-signing-intermediate-bug-1548973” in either the Active studies or Completed studies...
... Please note:The fix does not apply to Firefox ESR or Firefox for Android. We’re working on releasing a fix for both, and will provide updates here and on social media...
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22
...Looks like my (unsupported) Firefox ESR v52.9.0 browser is affected as well....
Just a hint for Firefox ESR users (both v52.9 and v60.6) that Method 2 in Lawrence Abrams' bleepingcomputer thread Firefox Addons Being Disabled Due to an Expired Certificate should re-enable your extensions without the need to install a new Nightly or Developers build. Just enter about:config in the address bar to enter the configuration settings and change the setting for xpinstall.signatures.required to FALSE. I tried this in my Firefox ESR v52.9.0 and Tools | Add-ons | Extensions now shows a warning for Adblock Plus and my other extensions (“<extension name> could not be verified for use in Firefox. Proceed with caution.“) but at least they’re functioning again.
Kudos to Pim for posting this temporary workaround for FF ESR users in the AskWoody.com thread Patch Lady – Firefox add ins disabled due to cert prob. The solution I mentioned <above> to enable Shield Studies (Firefox Preferences | Privacy & Security | Allow Firefox to Install and Run Studies) apparently doesn't work for FF ESR because the Shield Studies feature is not included in ESR versions of Firefox, including the latest FF ESR v60.6 for Win 7 SP1 and higher.
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22
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.
You can disable studies again after your add-ons have been re-enabled.
All my extensions fired up. Disabled Run Studies. Job Done ! The SinecoalCirph4.
12:50 p.m. UTC / 03:50 a.m. PDT: We rolled-out a fix for release, beta and nightly users on Desktop. The fix will be automatically applied in the background within the next few hours, you don’t need to take active steps.
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.
You can disable studies again after your add-ons have been re-enabled.
We are working on a general fix that doesn’t need to rely on this and will keep you updated.
Kudos to Caspy7 for posting that link in the Bugzilla bug report # 1548973. Just an aside that this issue doesn't seem to have affected the (unsupported) Firefox ESR v52.9.0 browser on my Vista machine.
EDIT:
Looks like my (unsupported) Firefox ESR v52.9.0 browser is affected as well. This just popped up a few minutes ago:
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22
ITMA.ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX ! DON'T REMOVE ANY ADD-ONS !
If you really need your FF extensions, before they put it right. This worked for me.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/firefox-addons-being-disabled-due-to-an-expired-certificate/
1. Page down to Method 3.
2. Do what it says.
a. I downloaded/saved the .XPI files from 'addons Mozilla'.
b. Opened about:debugging, hit 'Load Temporary Add-on'.
c. Installed the saved .XPI file.
d. Add-on appears in the Browser Tool Bar. N.B WHEN YOU CLOSE THE BROWSER, IT DUMPS BACK TO DEFAULT. AWAITING FF FIX. The SinecoalCirph4.
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