Your Firefox extensions are all disabled? That's a bug!

[Brink]

Many Firefox users around the world are browsing without their usual set of extensions after they suddenly stopped working earlier this evening. The event occurred as the clock rolled over on UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, aka GMT or Greenwich Mean Time), and impacted users quickly narrowed it down to "expiration of intermediate signing cert" -- as it's described on Mozilla's bug tracker.

Some Firefox users started to notice that installed browser extensions were all disabled in the web browser suddenly. Extensions would display "could not be verified for use in Firefox and has been disabled" messages in the add-ons manager of the browser. Firefox would display "One or more installed add-ons cannot be verified and have been disabled" at the top as a notification next to that.

Affected extensions include LastPass, Ghostery, Download Manager (S3), Dark Mode, Honey, uBlock Origin, Greasemonkey, NoScript, and others.

Update: Mozilla started to roll out a fix for Release, Beta, and Nightly versions of Firefox. The fix uses Mozilla Studies, and you need to make sure that this is enabled to get it. Mozilla notes that you may disable Studies again after the fix is applied and add-ons have been re-enabled. You need to make sure that "Allow Firefox to install and run studies" is checked on about references#privacy.

Your Firefox extensions are all disabled? Thats a bug! - gHacks Tech News

Firefox disabled all add-ons because a certificate expired (updated)

Update 3 (5/4, 7:30 AM ET): The team has announced a hotfix is rolling out now. It's applied in the background, so you shouldn't have to do anything to receive it. However, to make sure you get it right away, you can follow these instructions:

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 rolled out a hotfix that re-enables affected add-ons. The fix will be automatically applied in the background within the next few hours.
For more details, please check out the update at https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/certificate-issue-causing-add-ons-to-be-disabled-or-fail-to-install/39047/14

— Mozilla Add-ons (@mozamo) May 4, 2019
​

So sorry for the issue we're having with add-ons right now!

We're working hard to fix it and will keep you updated.

— Firefox (@firefox) May 4, 2019
​

No ETA for the fix yet; we're waiting on test results before making decision.

— Mozilla Add-ons (@mozamo) May 4, 2019
​

Temporary workaround posted here if you can't wait for the fix:

As of 12:00 am UTC, nearly all Firefox extensions are disabled. Itt work. : firefox

 

[ranett]

I shelved it until they get their act together.

 

[svnfrms2r]

This QuickFIX worked for me (and helps avoid similar screw-ups):
#1 disable auto-update for FF and add-ons
#2 disable studies
#3 go to URL "about:config" and set "xpinstall.signatures.required" to "false"
#4 close browser
#5 restart and enjoy the old world w/o being remote controlled

PS: make a backup or sys restore point before updating your browser (ideally only manually, as not even FF can be trusted anymore, screwed up by goog/m$ft/etc)

PPS: worth a read: All extensions disabled due to expiration of intermediate signing cert | Hacker News

 

[spc3rd]

The 4 Add-ons I had in FF just became disabled about an hour ago. Any idea of just how long it will take for them to come back via whatever "fix" Mozilla is sending out?

Thanks for any info.

[UPDATE @ 6:49 P.M.]

Just got my 4 Addons back.

 

[jc836]

Easy fix - no hack required

BACKUP Bookmarks before doing this!!

The simple fix I found is to completely uninstall Firefox 66.0.3. I used Revo and the Advanced setting in it for the Registry entries. I rebooted and performed a Custom install. You will be able to install you Extensions, Themes and Plugins again.

 

[poorguy]

I just updated Firefox to 66.04 and installed my one and only extension ublock origin and all is well.

 

[Struggling7]

I just updated Firefox to 66.04 and installed my one and only extension ublock origin and all is well.

I also only had ublock origin extension but mine never disappeared on 66.0.3 version. Don’t know if it matters but my system is (32bit) and on Win 7 Home Premium.

 

[file3456]

This QuickFIX worked for me (and helps avoid similar screw-ups):
#1 disable auto-update for FF and add-ons
#2 disable studies
#3 go to URL "about:config" and set "xpinstall.signatures.required" to "false"
#4 close browser
#5 restart and enjoy the old world w/o being remote controlled

PS: make a backup or sys restore point before updating your browser (ideally only manually, as not even FF can be trusted anymore, screwed up by goog/m$ft/etc)

PPS: worth a read: All extensions disabled due to expiration of intermediate signing cert | Hacker News

This is exactly what I did for my parent's computer. Does the signature require pref mean that add-ons won't look for a Sig and thus bypass any future issue like this again?

 

[TBugReporter]

Okay, since the folks at Mozilla themselves have labeled this travesty as "ArmagAdd-on 2.0", why didn't they learn their lesson from "ArmagAdd-on 1.0" (whatever that was)?

 

[poorguy]

Okay, since the folks at Mozilla themselves have labeled this travesty as "ArmagAdd-on 2.0", why didn't they learn their lesson from "ArmagAdd-on 1.0" (whatever that was)?

People make mistakes .. we're all human.

It's not mistakes that are the problem (they're to be expected from time to time, EVERYONE makes them), it's how they're handled when they're made that counts.

 

[TBugReporter]

Make a mistake once, that’s a shame. Make a mistake twice, that’s your shame.

 

[RoWin7]

Make a mistake once, that’s a shame. Make a mistake twice, that’s your shame.

But make a mistake hundreds of times...:sarc:

 

[RoWin7]

I wasn't affected, have 52.9ESR. Was the bug only for Quantum?

 

[TBugReporter]

I wasn't affected, have 52.9ESR. Was the bug only for Quantum?

No, and your not being affected surprises me. I'm still a XUL junkie, too, and came back here to ask if anyone was backporting the fix to 52.9, or whether any of the forks have implemented the fix. Adblock Plus, Classic Theme Restorer, and Tab Mix Plus still aren't working for me, and I need them back! Reinstall attempts keep saying "This add-on could not be installed because it appears to be corrupt."

 

[RoWin7]

I have over 40 XUL extensions, and I'm fine. I think I should wait another 10 years before switching to Quantum.

 

[TBugReporter]

During the hubbub, I found a link to a fix for this, and installed it. Could this be interfering with the final fix? Should I uninstall it? Did anyone else here install this? Bottom line, what can I do to get my extensions working without having to upgrade from 52.9?

 

[file3456]

Does that add-on so-called fix on that page you shared not work for you? Have you tried enabling Studies for a while to try and get your add-ons back?

I don't use Firefox, but my parents do and I had to enable studies and eventually all two of their add-ons were working again. Albeit, I keep their browser updated. I'm actually considering putting them back on Pale Moon since I moved them to FF just so that my mom could use asinine Facebook without issues in PM. But now that my mom got with the program and just got a marketer's wet dream come true "smartphone", she primarily uses that for Facebook. After the add-ons came back I disabled studies and took the advice of svnfrms2r in post #3.

 

[poorguy]

During the hubbub, I found a link to a fix for this, and installed it. Could this be interfering with the final fix? Should I uninstall it? Did anyone else here install this? Bottom line, what can I do to get my extensions working without having to upgrade from 52.9?

You may be SOL as Firefox ESR 52.9 EOL was August 29th 2018 according to this link.

Firefox ESR 52.9.0 EOL: Drop dead date | Firefox Support Forum | Mozilla Support

You may have to upgrade to Firefox ESR 60.6.2 .

Firefox Extended Support Release for Your Organization, Business, Enterprise — Mozilla

 

[Marie SWE]

I found this fix on github for older FF versions.
https ://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/60916#issuecomment-489793388

I quote the post to which the link refers to::

Just wanted to throw this fix out there since I am on an older version of Firefox 56.0.2 which does not currently have a fix. You can manually import the certificate found in the xpi. To do this you will want to download the xpi from the below link possibly with another browser like IE if you ware having trouble.
https:// storage.googleapis.com /moz-fx-normandy-prod-addons/extensions/[email protected]
Rename as .zip or open with a zip program.
Navigate to experiments\skeleton and open api.js in a text editor.
Copy everything inside quotes after let intermediate = " until the next "
Create a new text file in notepad and add the certificate header/trailer like so and paste the value in between.

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- 
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
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Rename the file extension to .crt
In Firefox navigate to Options -> Privacy & Security -> Certificates -> View Certificates -> Authorities -> Import...
It will show up under Mozilla Corporation as signingca1.addons.mozilla.org

I haven't tested this yet, I am about to reboot my computer into windows7 in a few minutes and try it.

 

[Marie SWE]

Update
Now I have tested it.
I extract the api.js file from the suggested file and I followed the instruction.
I added the certificate in Firefox as described.
I restarted my Firefox (my version is 59.0.3) and I can now add add-on via mozilla's website and all add-ons work.
and the certificate shows mozilla as the publisher and has the right SHA fingerprints