Deploying Firefox

[Michael]

I have updated Firefox further and I'm now upto v7.1.1 which you can download here. If you have v7.1 installed, you can install v7.1.1 directly on top.

 

So what are the differences you ask? Well I have gone to the effort of researching more and pretty much every entry on the Options menu is now locked down/greyed out. This includes the font, colours, languages, Security and Advanced tabs. I've also included Arthur's file, so the about:config menu is disabled.

 

This has been thoroughly tested and is pretty much as good as it's going to get locking down Firefox. By all means if you have any further ideas/suggestions let me know!

[Edu-IT]

Will give it a whirl this week. Thanks!

[rocknrollstar]

Thanks Michael- this looks excellent. I'd like to deploy FF using your package, but can you give me quick instructions on deploying using AD, and changing the proxy? Do I need to do anything to the pupil's mandatory profile?

Thanks in advance

[Edu-IT]

Thanks Michael- this looks excellent. I'd like to deploy FF using your package, but can you give me quick instructions on deploying using AD, and changing the proxy? Do I need to do anything to the pupil's mandatory profile?

Thanks in advance

The proxy will have to be changed by him unless you want to package something up yourself. No changes to profiles are required, Firefox will create all it needs in there. You can use group policies to deploying this. Do a search on the forum and you'll probably find a guide for that.

[Michael]

Thanks Michael- this looks excellent. I'd like to deploy FF using your package, but can you give me quick instructions on deploying using AD, and changing the proxy? Do I need to do anything to the pupil's mandatory profile?

 

You cannot deploy via AD, but you could deploy using a script using the /S switch. As for updating mandatory profiles, a folder called 'Mozilla' will be created within Application Data. If the profile is mandatory, I'd recommend you either update the profile or simply copy the Mozilla folder from another profile (such as a temporary administrator account).

 

As above, if you require specific proxy, homepage and exceptions let me know and I'll create a FF package for you.

[rocknrollstar]

Cool, I downloaded the BGFL version, found the proxy settings file and changed it. Repackaged with FFDeploy. Will run install on an admin account, copy the Application Data Mozilla folder to the mandatory profile, then should be away.

Thanks for your help- will update with result.

[cookie_monster]

@ Michael, is the package not an msi then? Are you deploying it using a statup script?

 

Thanks.

[Michael]

Is the package not an msi then? Are you deploying it using a statup script?

 

To be honest I'm installing it manually on most machines just in case it creates any problems and so far I've not found any. In theory yes, you could deploy using a startup script, using the /S switch, but you'd then need to copy the 'Mozilla' folder into every user profile within Application Data.

[cookie_monster]

but you'd then need to copy the 'Mozilla' folder into every user profile within Application Data.

 

that could just be placed into a mandatory or default profile though right?

[Michael]

that could just be placed into a mandatory or default profile though right?

 

Yes you can also do this

[Arthur]

Michael. I'm currently in the process of creating an extremely locked-down Firefox package for my school and thought I would post the tweaks I've done so far, as I reckon you may find some (or all) of them quite useful for yours.

 

The attached .zip file contains a new userChrome.css file which hides the native Firefox bookmarking system completely, along with various items on the menus and context menus. Also included is a userContent.css file which will prevent file-system browsing plus an updated British English dictionary which will work properly in Firefox v3.5.3. I have added plenty of comments so hopefully it all makes sense should you use any of them.

FirefoxMods_v1.0.zip

[Michael]

Thanks I'll take a look

[Michael]

Latest Update

 

A new build based on Logistix Firefox 3.5.4 v7.1.2 is now available with the following enhancements:

 

- Latest Firefox 3.5.4 Release

- Now available in MSI format

- Easily removable from Add/Remove Programs

- Automatically creates Desktop and Start Menu shortcuts

 

Download Firefox which now comes in WinRAR format. Extract to a deployment directory, for example: \\Servername\Distribution\Mozilla Firefox (3.5.4) Logistix

 

Using Active Directory, specify and deploy the MSI. I recommend you deploy to a few machines initially and post here if you find any problems. Touchwood you shouldn't

 

As a recommendation, you should either uninstall/delete existing native or Logistix Firefox installations. I have provided a file called DEL-OLD-FF.bat which will do this for you. Any constructive feedback would be appreciated

[Michael]

New Update - Mozilla Firefox 3.5.5 Logistix

 

Mozilla quickly released 3.5.5 after discovering some stability issues with 3.5.4. This release I have created is an MSI based on WinstallLE and works very smoothly You can perform an upgrade of Mozilla Firefox 3.5.5 Logistix directly on 3.5.4, but NOT 3.5.3.

 

If you are running Mozilla Firefox 3.5.3 Logistix, simply delete the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox directory, then install the latest version either manually or via GPO.

 

This is undoubtedly the best version I have created yet. I have also made it possible to create your own locked down settings. Below is the data file I use for Birmingham’s BGFL which will end up being Mozilla.cfg.

 

//
try {
lockPref("app.update.enabled", false);
lockPref("app.update.autoUpdateEnabled", false);
lockPref("app.update.disable_button.showUpdateHistory", true);
lockPref("network.cookie.cookieBehavior", 1);
lockPref("network.proxy.http", "eduproxy.bgfl.org");
lockPref("network.proxy.http_port", 80);
lockPref("network.proxy.type", 1);
lockPref("network.proxy.no_proxies_on", "localhost, 127.0.0.1, 10.*, 192.*, *.bgfl.org, *.bgfl.eu");
lockPref("network.proxy.share_proxy_settings", true);
lockPref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.bgfl.org/");
lockPref("browser.startup.page", 1);
lockPref("browser.cache.disk.capacity", 50000);
lockPref("browser.download.manager.showWhenStarting", true);
lockPref("browser.download.manager.closeWhenDone", true);
lockPref("browser.download.manager.retention", 0);
lockPref("browser.download.useDownloadDir", false);
lockPref("browser.formfill.enable", false);
lockPref("browser.history_expire_days", 0);
lockPref("browser.popups.showPopupBlocker", false);
lockPref("browser.search.selectedEngine", "Google");
lockPref("browser.search.update", false);
lockPref("browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser", false);
lockPref("browser.link.open_external", 2);
lockPref("browser.link.open_newwindow", 2);
lockPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground", false);
lockPref("browser.tabs.warnOnClose", false);
lockPref("browser.tabs.autoHide", false);
lockPref("browser.display.screen_resolution", 96);
lockPref("browser.display.use_document_fonts", 1);
lockPref("browser.display.use_document_colors", true);
lockPref("browser.enable_automatic_image_resizing", true);
lockPref("browser.turbo.enabled", true);
lockPref("browser.places.importBookmarksHTML", false);
lockPref("browser.tabs.warnOnOpen", true);
lockPref("browser.display.use_focus_colors", false);
lockPref("browser.display.use_system_colors", false);
lockPref("browser.use_custom_colors", false);
lockPref("browser.underline_anchors", true);
lockPref("browser.offline-apps.notify", false);
lockPref("browser.active_color", "#EE0000");
lockPref("browser.anchor_color", "#0000EE");
lockPref("browser.display.background_color", "#FFFFFF");
lockPref("browser.display.focus_background_color", "#117722");
lockPref("browser.display.focus_text_color", "#ffffff");
lockPref("browser.display.foreground_color", "#000000");
lockPref("browser.visited_color", "#551A8B");
lockPref("browser.safebrowsing.enabled", true);
lockPref("browser.safebrowsing.malware.enabled", true);
lockPref("dom.disable_open_during_load", true);
lockPref("pref.advanced.images.disable_button.view_image", true);
lockPref("pref.advanced.javascript.disable_button.advanced", true);
lockPref("pref.browser.homepage.disable_button.current_page", true); 
lockPref("pref.browser.homepage.disable_button.bookmark_page", true);
lockPref("pref.browser.homepage.disable_button.restore_default", true);
lockPref("pref.browser.language.disable_button.remove", true);
lockPref("pref.browser.language.disable_button.up", true);
lockPref("pref.browser.language.disable_button.down", true);
lockPref("pref.privacy.disable_button.cookie_exceptions", true);
lockPref("pref.privacy.disable_button.set_master_password", true);
lockPref("pref.privacy.disable_button.view_passwords", true);
lockPref("pref.downloads.disable_button.edit_actions", true);
lockPref("javascript.enabled", true);
lockPref("security.enable_java", true);
lockPref("security.warn_entering_secure", false);
lockPref("security.warn_entering_weak", true);
lockPref("security.warn_leaving_secure", false);
lockPref("security.warn_submit_insecure", false);
lockPref("security.warn_viewing_mixed", true);
lockPref("security.enable_ssl2", true);
lockPref("security.enable_ssl3", true);
lockPref("security.enable_tls", true);
lockPref("security.default_personal_cert", "Ask Every Time");
lockPref("print.save_print_settings", false);
lockPref("privacy.sanitize.promptOnSanitize", false);
lockPref("privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown", true);
lockPref("privacy.popups.showBrowserMessage", false);
lockPref("signon.rememberSignons", false);
lockPref("permissions.default.image", 1);
lockPref("xpinstall.enabled", false);
lockPref("xpinstall.whitelist.required", true);
lockPref("general.autoScroll", true);
lockPref("general.smoothScroll", false);
lockPref("general.warnOnAboutConfig", false);
lockPref("extensions.update.enabled", false);
lockPref("extensions.update.autoUpdateEnabled", false);
lockPref("extensions.getAddons.showPane", false);
lockPref("font.default.x-western", "serif");
lockPref("font.language.group", "x-western");
lockPref("font.minimum-size.x-western", 0);
lockPref("font.name.cursive.x-western", "Comic Sans MS");
lockPref("font.name.monospace.x-western", "Courier New");
lockPref("font.name.sans-serif.x-western", "Arial");
lockPref("font.name.serif.x-western", "Times New Roman");
lockPref("font.size.fixed.x-western", 13);
lockPref("font.size.variable.x-western", 16);
lockPref("intl.accept_languages", "en-gb, en");
lockPref("intl.charset.default", "ISO-8859-1");
lockPref("intl.accept_charsets", "ISO-8859-1,*,UTF-8,");
lockPref("spellchecker.dictionary", "en-GB");
lockPref("layout.spellcheckDefault", 0);
lockPref("accessibility.blockautorefresh", false);
lockPref("accessibility.browsewithcaret", false);
lockPref("accessibility.typeaheadfind", false);
} catch(e) {
displayError("lockedPref", e);
}

 

Copy and paste all the above into Notepad, then save as Mozilla.txt. You now need to download a utility called Byte Shifter.

 

Lines of particular interest to most will be:

 

lockPref("network.proxy.http", "eduproxy.bgfl.org"); [b](Proxy Settings)[/b]
lockPref("network.proxy.http_port", 80); [b](Proxy Port)[/b]
lockPref("network.proxy.type", 1); [b](Enable Proxy)[/b] 
lockPref("network.proxy.no_proxies_on", "localhost, 127.0.0.1, 10.*, 192.*, *.bgfl.org, *.bgfl.eu"); [b](Proxy Exceptions)[/b]
lockPref("network.proxy.share_proxy_settings", true); [b](Use same Proxy Settings - recommended)[/b]
lockPref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.bgfl.org/"); [b](Homepage)[/b]

 

Specify the input path as (for example):

 

Input: C:\logistixonline.com\example\mozilla.txt
Output: C:\logistixonline.com\example\mozilla.cfg

 

Specify the shift value as: 13, then click ‘Go’.

 

Download any version of Mozilla Firefox 3.5.5 Logistix and extract using WinRAR to a deployment directory. This would typically read:

 

\\SERVERNAME\Distribution\Mozilla Firefox (3.5.5) Logistix

 

Double click the Mozilla Firefox (3.5.5) Logistix folder. In the root you’ll see the MSI. You can either double click this manually or deploy using a GPO. If you then double click the sub folder Program Files > Mozilla Firefox, this is what will be deployed.

 

If you’ve created your own custom Mozilla.cfg file, simply overwrite the existing one within this directory. You’re now done and you can deploy Mozilla Firefox (3.5.5) Logistix with your settings

[Michael]

Thanks for the 'thanks'. Some feedback would be great how you get on

[TheWhiteWiltord]

Thanks Michael....great post, which I have just stumbled across!

 

I've only found one small problem having followed the instructions for 3.5.5 as above and that is that within Options > Security the tick box for 'Use a master password' is not grayed out, meaning that users can set and change a master password.

 

I have used your standard mozilla.cfg file, apart from our proxy/homepage settings, but please advise if there is another line that I need to add to fix this.

[Michael]

within Options > Security the tick box for 'Use a master password' is not grayed out, meaning that users can set and change a master password.

 

According to Mozilla this is by design, so I cannot grey it out! Some custom code may be needed to do this, however there are lots of free tools/methods on the web allowing you to reset the password completely.

 

By all means if you find a way let me know and I'll include the code in a future version

[6Foot2]

Excellent! I have been testing this and found only a minor niggle:

 

I can't get FireFox to start without offering to recover a previous session and I cannot prevent the FireFox 'First Time Run' at the moment. Also I would like to prevent some of the add ins being offered [some are needed for a proper browsing experience]

 

Do you have any ideas?

[Michael]

I can't get FireFox to start without offering to recover a previous session

 

Not quite sure why you're getting this error. Have you tried deleting the 'Mozilla' folder within Application Data on your profile? Did you already have a previous version of FF installed?

 

I cannot prevent the FireFox 'First Time Run' at the moment.

 

The First Run Mozilla webpage will appear, but of course any further attempts it won't appear. I don't consider it to be a major problem The wizard asking you to import IE favourites has been disabled.

 

What add-ons do you want to change/remove?

[Michael]

Any joy resolving this minor problem DaveP?

[6Foot2]

All sorted now. Thanks. Have been meaning to get back about it but it has been a little manic.

 

However all software deployed without issue now.

 

Good work.

 

What happens when FireFox wants to update?

[Michael]

If you click on the Help menu Check for Updates is greyed out/unavailable. This is by design, so you can consistently control what version of Firefox your users are using. Deploying future versions of Logistix Firefox will simply be a repeat of how you've deployed this version. You'll be able to install directly on top of existing installs

 

Thanks for the feedback

[6Foot2]

Thank you. Great job!

 

Saved me I don't know how much work [We have Serco and FireFox is so much faster at rendering the pages etc. it is a real boon!]

[Arthur]

I've only found one small problem having followed the instructions for 3.5.5 as above and that is that within Options > Security the tick box for 'Use a master password' is not greyed out, meaning that users can set and change a master password.

While you can't grey them out, you can hide them by putting the following code in the userChrome.css file.

 

#masterPasswordBox, #changeMasterPassword { display: none !important; }

 

You may find my post at the top of this page useful for further customizations.

[Arthur]

I can't get FireFox to start without offering to recover a previous session.

To do this you need to disable Firefox's session restore feature. This can be done by setting browser.sessionstore.enabled to false in your mozilla.cfg.

 

lockPref("browser.sessionstore.enabled", false); // Disable session restore feature

Edited November 16, 2009 by Arthur