Firefox 40: Firefox warns about signatures but doesn't enforce them. Firefox 41: Firefox will have a preference that allows signature enforcement to be disabled (xpinstall.signatures.required in about:config). Firefox 42: Release and Beta versions of Firefox 42.0 will not allow unsigned extensions to be installed, with no override

This is only for Extensions. Themes, dictionaries, language packs, and Plugins don't need to be signed.

Since you are Testing the Beta builds of Firefox 41.0 on Beta channel and not the current 40.0.2 Release, you are seeing this change sooner.

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Addons/Extension_Signing

The browser we know as Firefox currently started back in Sept 2002 as Phoenix 0.1. The Mozilla suite started in development back in 1998.

Unless by Addons you mean Plugins which are not installed on system and older versions are added to blocklist when thy are of serious security or stability concerns. https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/blocked/

My Roboform extension has been disabled. Please tell me how to enable it. I entered www.roboform.com to "allow" in the security section, but it didn't help. I can't log in to very many sites since Roboform has gone away, so I'll have to find another browser if I can't get Roboform back. I read your words about the security issue with extensions, add-ons, etc., but I respectfully request you to show me, in detail, how to enable Roboform in Firefox. Thanks Greatly in advance !!

If you rely upon add-ons like that, don't use a Beta version of Firefox - that's just asking for a conflict as you are experiencing. Many programs like Roboform don't support pre-release versions

Firefox 40: Firefox warns about signatures but doesn't enforce the block.

Firefox 41 (& 42 as if last Friday): Will block - but has an "override" preference that allows signature enforcement to be disabled (xpinstall.signatures.required in about:config).

It may or may not work if you toggle that preference to off / disabled.

If you plan to keep using Firefox 41 and you haven't heard of about:config before, let me spell it out:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste xpi and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the xpinstall.signatures.required preference to switch it from true to false

Then Firefox 41 should then allow unsigned extensions to run.

Hopefully Roboform will be signed within the next few weeks before Firefox 41 is formally released. If you use an older version, then, probably it won't be.

the-edmeister said

Firefox 41 (& 42 as if last Friday): Will block - but has an "override" preference that allows signature enforcement to be disabled (xpinstall.signatures.required in about:config). It may or may not work if you toggle that preference to off / disabled.

The xpinstall.signatures.required Preference will have no affect with Extensions on Firefox Release and Beta 42.0+

Actually both James and the-edmeister are wrong... I know this because I had an extension that firefox would block from installing every time i tried but i finally was able to bypass the block and install it. Here's what I did:

1. enter "about:config" (without the quotes) in the url bar. 2. in the search bar, type "xpi" (again without quotes, see attached image). 3. look for two settings, xpinstall.signatures.required and xpinstall.whitelist.required 4. change both of these to false (refer to image) 5. install the previously blocked extension (make sure to allow the installation when the browser prompts).

Oh, and by the way, I'm using firefox 43.0.2 in Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)

LittleNugget said

Actually both James are wrong...

Actually I was right at the time as the versions this preference was required for has changed around since that time as this was a old thread started back in August.

The preference only currently works in Firefox 43.0 and will not work in Firefox 44.0 and later unless that is changed at short notice.

I updated from Firefox 40.0.3 to 43.0.2 on my laptop (I know, I was slow on doing it because I generally get the reminder when I do not, due to security, have access to the internet).

I have 2 complaints:

1.) "Manage Search Engines" has changed to a drop-down box with VERY small icons. I want the drop-down list back. I've read several postings, mostly old, about this with solutions like "set browser.search.showOneOffButtons" to false. It was already at false and setting to true does not work and resetting to false does not work. Or ditto for "browser.search.isUS" to false .

2.) My Roboform toolbar is now duplicated (yes - 2 of them, and without my background color) at the bottom of the Firefox window. I just want to get rid of it and reclaim the real estate.

PS - Reloading 40.0.3 solves both problems (excluding as supposed security updates.)

Did I miss something.

Was Mozilla bought by Microsoft? They are notorious for screwing up working programs (including their own) via "updates".

Hi AIVAS1701, sorry for the lack of reply, but this thread was already marked solved last Summer. To address issues with Firefox 43 (or now, Firefox 44), could you start a new question?

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new/desktop/

Scroll down past the suggestions if they are not on point to continue with the form.

For this:

1.) "Manage Search Engines" has changed to a drop-down box with VERY small icons. I want the drop-down list back. I've read several postings, mostly old, about this with solutions like "set browser.search.showOneOffButtons" to false. It was already at false and setting to true does not work and resetting to false does not work. Or ditto for "browser.search.isUS" to false .

The search bar drop-down changed from having a list of names to rows of icons, but Manage Search Engines should load a completely separate tab showing the Search section of the Options page. In your new question, please provide a little more information about which part is uncomfortable. (If you want a list-style drop-down from the search bar, consider this: https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1101020)

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Addons/Extension_Signing#Timeline Firefox 40-42: Firefox warns about signatures but doesn't enforce them. Firefox 43: Firefox will have a preference that allows signature enforcement to be disabled (xpinstall.signatures.required in about:config). Firefox 46: Release and Beta versions of Firefox will not allow unsigned extensions to be installed, with no override.

https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2016/01/22/add-on-signing-update

As this is a old thread and the versions for this xpinstall.whitelist.required Preferences has changed version a few times it may as well be locked.

You should start a new thread and link to this one if you have further questions.