Firefox Community Forum

I have an old Mac desktop computer and use firefox as my browser. I go to hotmail and click on and up comes my inbox. I click on an item but nothing opens. then I get a message up top saying firefox prevented the opening of one or more pop up windows. I have changed my password with microsoft. That has not improved things.

When accessing important accounts on websites, like financial websites, I've always heard you should close your browser when you're done with the secure website. If you log on in a PRIVATE window and close the private window afterword but leave the main FireFox window open, is that the same thing? I think it is and the private window will delete any login or activity info as if you closed the browser, I just want to confirm with someone more knowledgeable before I make a bad assumption. It also seems to have the added benefit of deleting anything you might download and save elsewhere from the download folder so you don't have to delete it from the DL folder and then the recycle bin. Seems like it's good practice to use the private window this way. Again, just looking for a 2nd opinion.

Thanks,

I have received 3 system alerts, all from Mozilla Firefox (I use Firefox as my default browser). 1) System is infected!---click on d45n9f8ko90s738b610.gsx-protect.co.in 2) ZEUS.2020 Trojan detected--with same directed site 3) System Alert!---with same directed site.

I use McAfee as my security system. They recommend going to Firefox settings and disallowing random site connections. How do I get my system running again.

Latest McAfee scan shows 45 entries deleted and 2 browsers reset

Firefox detected a potential security threat and did not continue to myccp.ccp.edu. If you visit this site, attackers could try to steal information like your passwords, emails, or credit card details.

When the AI chatbot is enabled in the sidebar but "collapsed" -- the tool not engaged -- is any data sent to the chatbot provider? Can the chatbot be collecting data while not engaging with the user? Or is context sent only with prompts and limited to the tab that is open?

What sort of sandboxing is enforced by Firefox?

I am getting repeated pop up "alerts" from Firefox, McAfee and others about Trojan Horse and other viruses. I did not click on the links offered. How do I stop them from coming?

I am just burned out with Firefox and not sure why I should continue to use it instead of some fork or Chromium-based browser.

It seems like every update brings some new GenAI/LLM component that is auto-enabled and difficult to disable. I do not want GenAI/LLMs in my web browser. I have dropped nearly every other application or software that has forced it on me and included it in their product. I feel like I'm trying manage a Windows system having to follow blogs to debloat, restore privacy, and restore security. GenAI/LLMs shouldn't be in my web browser. And, they should be opt-in, not opt-out in some confusing mix of GUI and about:config madness. If GenAI/LLM is so great, then make it an extension or a fork then let those folks use it from there. Don't bake it into the web browser.

I continue to use Firefox for uBlock Origin but I guess that would be possible with a Firefox-fork. However, I am just tired of having to continuously manage my Firefox browser and battle websites that only support Chromium-based browsers. If Firefox actually seemed intent on improving security and privacy then I could find the motivation but this GenAI/LLM nonsense seems the point of no return.

On my Android phone, I've switched to a Chromium-based browser given the poor state of security and hardening for the vanilla Firefox. I keep IronFox on hand but it is just easier to surf the web with a Chromium-based browser due to many websites just working better. Why should I deal with the pain and frustration of limited Firefox support when Firefox isn't even keeping up with security hardening?

As for desktop, the Firefox browser just doesn't seem as snappy or stable as I would expect. Firefox for Linux is still not supported for Slack Huddles. How is it 2026 and Mozilla/Firefox are still not fully functional with one of the major business chat platforms? Yes, I know this primarily a Slack and AWS-Chime-SDK problem but it is also a Firefox problem because there isn't much that a user can do. I've tried to prod Slack and the AWS teams numerous times to support Firefox but they've just done nothing. I also see nothing being done by the Firefox team, too.

Another example is the EdgeSuite CDN. Nearly always they block my traffic when I use Firefox. Switch to a Chromium-based browser and EdgeSuite is much less likely to block me. This is fairly consistent for the retail and financial institutions I use.

As far as I am aware, many of the security concerns brought up by Madaidan in 2022 still hold true for Firefox today, especially for Android and Linux. If this is no longer true, then it might be good for the Firefox team to post a rebuttal or update clarifying the current state of Firefox. The average users such as myself only see the Madaidan blog post and have to take it at face value. https://madaidans-insecurities.github.io/firefox-chromium.html

Anyway, I don't see a way ahead for me and Firefox but maybe you can convince me. It just seems like Firefox and Mozilla have lost their way. They no longer seem focused on security and privacy. Instead they're forcing privacy, security, and system resource disasters onto their userbases, just like Microsoft, Google, and every one of the major tech firms. I just don't see why I should use, promote, and even support Firefox going into 2026.

Does Firefox "remember" any browser data from another Windows user account? I created a guest account for someone today and while I was browsing, I got redirected to a site called fy3 dot fit which had the fake captcha. I did not open the run box and did not paste any commands from it, so is the guest account compromised or do I need to nuke Windows and start again? I read on reddit that it's an infostealer but if Firefox does not remember the other user account's browser data, does that mean nothing would be stolen if I did run it?

Regarding the new built in Firefox VPN. If I have Tabs open and Enable the VPN on a New Tab, does it then affect all previously opened Tabs, only the New Tab, only the New Tab and Tabs opened after that initial New Tab, or ? Also, is there a Meter Display or similar so I know how much of the 50GB VPN allotment has been used or is remaining ? Thank you, very kindly ...-- J V

Hi, I am using Firefox exclusively for my work Claude account, I only check my usage on it. Today, I noticed Firefox silently installed a webapp under $USER/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs, and it has a Claude webapp, which I neither click any install or add to my menu. I found it extremely concerning in terms of privacy, and I am wondering if any other people have similar experience.

Some extensions I use have been updated and now ask permission to "Access your data for all websites." What is the scope of this access? Can an extension which facilitates video downloads see my bank password? Can it access data for sites in a different Firefox container? Can it access sites which I use in a different browser? Can it access data for sites which, on my system, are only available to a different user? Thanks for any clarification. [I am running Firefox 149.0 under Kubuntu 24.04]

Hello This evening as I was going to pay for a book on a site well known to me, I notice that I don’t see a lock to the left of the address. I read your page 'Mixed content blocking in Firefox' after seeing that its little French sister was not up to date and it seems that it is the version of Firefox installed tonight that is behind this big change. Even my bank’s site no longer shows padlocks and it’s destabilizing. Why such a change without explanation??? I only read information about the split view in the same tab (which seems very useful) but nothing about this disappearance of the lock... Can you confirm that it is indeed the version from tonight 27/03/2026 that made this change at first glance worrying.

Thank you in advance and have a good day.