SUMO community discussions

Helping Users with Babylon

  • 10 Replies
  • Last reply by Gavin Sharp
  1. user633449
    user633449 503 posts
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    for those of you on the forums, IRC or in real life who are trying to assist someone who has been infected with Babylon (or any other malicious search hijacking extension), this just became a lot easier :) Thanks to Gavin Sharp's recently updated extension, Search Reset, it will reset the Search Engine, Home Page, AND New Tab takeover of these extensions. The removal process can now look like this:

    1. Uninstall the problematic extension from inside Firefox. Also check and make sure the program isn't installed in Windows itself.
    2. Run the SearchReset extension.
    3. All done, with no about:config options or other difficulties.
    for those of you on the forums, IRC or in real life who are trying to assist someone who has been infected with Babylon (or any other malicious search hijacking extension), this just became a lot easier :) Thanks to Gavin Sharp's recently updated extension, [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchreset/ Search Reset], it will reset the Search Engine, Home Page, AND New Tab takeover of these extensions. The removal process can now look like this: #Uninstall the problematic extension from inside Firefox. Also check and make sure the program isn't installed in Windows itself. #Run the SearchReset extension. # All done, with no about:config options or other difficulties.

    Modified by user633449 on

  2. AliceWyman
    AliceWyman 6217 posts
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    Related KB article is

    Related KB article is *[[Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page]]
  3. cor-el
    cor-el 1494 posts
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    Note that the Search Reset extension still doesn't force a rebuild of the chromeappsstore.sqlite file to reset the search engine on the about:home page.

    • resetPref("browser.startup.homepage");
    • resetPref("keyword.URL");
    • resetPref("browser.newtab.url");
    • resetPref("browser.search.defaultenginename");
    Note that the Search Reset extension still doesn't force a rebuild of the chromeappsstore.sqlite file to reset the search engine on the about:home page. *resetPref("browser.startup.homepage"); *resetPref("keyword.URL"); *resetPref("browser.newtab.url"); *resetPref("browser.search.defaultenginename");

    Modified by cor-el on

  4. AliceWyman
    AliceWyman 6217 posts
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    cor-el, thanks. So, if the Search Reset extension doesn't fix a busted about:home search, what would? your suggestion in this thread (after first setting the desired default in the Search bar)?

    https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/779082#answer-340641

    Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default.

    Open the about:config page via the location bar
    Type in the Filter bar: mstone
    Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset
    Close and restart Firefox

    ...which is what's suggested in comment 1 of this related bug (which I found with a google search of site:bugzilla.mozilla.org)

    EDIT: Bug 749477 comment 1 suggests, to fix a broken about:home search, that you reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID (not mstone) preference (to simulate installing a new version) ... and that worked, after restarting Firefox, when I broke my about:home search by deleting the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in a test profile.

    cor-el, thanks. So, if the Search Reset extension doesn't fix a busted about:home search, what would? your suggestion in this thread (after first setting the desired default in the [[Search bar|Search bar]])?<br> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/779082#answer-340641 <blockquote> Reset the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone pref via the right-click context menu to the default on the about:config page and close and restart Firefox to restore the about:home page to its default. <br><br> Open the about:config page via the location bar <br>Type in the Filter bar: mstone <br>Right-click the browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone line and select: Reset <br>Close and restart Firefox </blockquote> ...<del>which is what's suggested in comment 1 of this</del> related bug (which I found with a google search of site:bugzilla.mozilla.org) *[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=749477 Bug 749477 - Searching from about:home broken if chromeappsstore.sqlite is deleted from profile folder] '''EDIT: ''' [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=749477 Bug 749477] comment 1 suggests, to fix a broken about:home search, that you reset the '''browser.startup.homepage_override.<u>buildID</u>''' (not mstone) preference (to simulate installing a new version) ... and that worked, after restarting Firefox, when I broke my about:home search by deleting the chromeappsstore.sqlite file in a test profile.

    Modified by AliceWyman on

  5. cor-el
    cor-el 1494 posts
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    See "Setup the default search engine to about:home page":

    See "Setup the default search engine to about:home page": *http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/browser/components/nsBrowserContentHandler.js#578
  6. cor-el
    cor-el 1494 posts
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    This code in the Error Console seems to work to reset the default search engine on the about:home page (requires a reload of about:home).
    So maybe Gavin can add it to his extension (some is already in it). 

    Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");

defaultEngine = Services.search.originalDefaultEngine;
submission = defaultEngine.getSubmission("_searchTerms_");
engine = {name: defaultEngine.name, searchUrl: submission.uri.spec};
aboutHomeURI = Services.io.newURI("moz-safe-about:home", null, null);

ssm = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/scriptsecuritymanager;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsIScriptSecurityManager);
principal=(ssm.getCodebasePrincipal||ssm.getNoAppCodebasePrincipal)(aboutHomeURI);

dsm = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/dom/storagemanager;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsIDOMStorageManager);
dsm.getLocalStorageForPrincipal(principal, "").setItem("search-engine", JSON.stringify(engine));
    This code in the Error Console seems to work to reset the default search engine on the about:home page (requires a reload of about:home).<br /> So maybe Gavin can add it to his extension (some is already in it). ----- <pre><nowiki>Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm"); defaultEngine = Services.search.originalDefaultEngine; submission = defaultEngine.getSubmission("_searchTerms_"); engine = {name: defaultEngine.name, searchUrl: submission.uri.spec}; aboutHomeURI = Services.io.newURI("moz-safe-about:home", null, null); ssm = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/scriptsecuritymanager;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsIScriptSecurityManager); principal=(ssm.getCodebasePrincipal||ssm.getNoAppCodebasePrincipal)(aboutHomeURI); dsm = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/dom/storagemanager;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsIDOMStorageManager); dsm.getLocalStorageForPrincipal(principal, "").setItem("search-engine", JSON.stringify(engine)); </nowiki></pre> ---- *http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/browser/components/nsBrowserContentHandler.js#838 *http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/caps/src/nsScriptSecurityManager.cpp *http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-release/source/caps/idl/nsIScriptSecurityManager.idl
  7. Swarnava Sengupta
    Swarnava Sengupta 399 posts
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    I mailed gavin about this thread

    I mailed gavin about this thread
  8. user633449
    user633449 503 posts
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    Just as a side note, we already have the Reset Firefox Feature (Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings), which will fix the issue of the about:home being taken over if the user is that far infected. Rather than making a user go through complicated steps, it's probably best just to suggest a Firefox Reset. This extension is mainly intended to be a quick fix for the majority of users infected by Babylon, for the rest, try a Firefox Reset (which has proven to be an incredibly useful feature)

    Just as a side note, we already have the Reset Firefox Feature ([[Reset Firefox – easily fix most problems]]), which will fix the issue of the about:home being taken over if the user is that far infected. Rather than making a user go through complicated steps, it's probably best just to suggest a Firefox Reset. This extension is mainly intended to be a quick fix for the majority of users infected by Babylon, for the rest, try a Firefox Reset (which has proven to be an incredibly useful feature)
  9. AliceWyman
    AliceWyman 6217 posts
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    Tylerdowner said

    Just as a side note, we already have the Reset Firefox Feature (Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings), which will fix the issue of the about:home being taken over if the user is that far infected.

    Yes but that may be overkill, if all you need to do is reset user_prefs, which is described in MozillaZine's Resetting preferences article.

    By the way, I see that the SUMO resetting preferences article no longer explains how to reset just user preferences. It now tells you to use the Reset Firefox feature. The old instructions are now only given for Firefox ESR, even though you can still use Safe Mode in Firefox 14 to reset all user preferences. (I don't think the article ever explained how to delete prefs.js as an alternate method for resetting all user preferences, like MozillaZine's article does.)

    ''Tylerdowner [[#post-48157|said]]'' <blockquote> Just as a side note, we already have the Reset Firefox Feature ([[Reset Firefox – easily fix most problems]]), which will fix the issue of the about:home being taken over if the user is that far infected. </blockquote> Yes but that may be overkill, if all you need to do is reset user_prefs, which is described in MozillaZine's [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Resetting_preferences Resetting preferences] article. By the way, I see that the SUMO [[resetting preferences|resetting preferences]] article no longer explains how to reset just user preferences. It now tells you to use the [[Reset Firefox – easily fix most problems|Reset Firefox]] feature. [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-preferences-fix-problems#os=win&browser=fx10 The old instructions are now only given for Firefox ESR], even though you can still use Safe Mode in Firefox 14 to reset all user preferences. (I don't think the article ever explained how to delete prefs.js as an alternate method for resetting all user preferences, like MozillaZine's article does.)
  10. user633449
    user633449 503 posts
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    Alice, the point is, we want support to be the easiest and best quality for users possible. If a user has to find a file that is hidden inside their Appdata folder and edit/delete that file, it is not as good as an experience as a simple button click. By making it easier for users to fix problems, we ease their frustration, and make them more likely to like using our products. Using long complicated steps gives users the "I don't have time for this" or "this is scary" feeling, and we want to avoid that :) For people who know Firefox and computers, resetting user prefs is easy, for the average computer user, it isn't as easy as a button click, which to them is essentially the same.

    I think the Resetting Prefs article is that way because of the Safe mode redesign in Firefox 15, but you'd want to talk to Verdi.

    Alice, the point is, we want support to be the easiest and best quality for users possible. If a user has to find a file that is hidden inside their Appdata folder and edit/delete that file, it is not as good as an experience as a simple button click. By making it easier for users to fix problems, we ease their frustration, and make them more likely to like using our products. Using long complicated steps gives users the "I don't have time for this" or "this is scary" feeling, and we want to avoid that :) For people who know Firefox and computers, resetting user prefs is easy, for the average computer user, it isn't as easy as a button click, which to them is essentially the same. I think the Resetting Prefs article is that way because of the Safe mode redesign in Firefox 15, but you'd want to talk to Verdi.
  11. Gavin Sharp
    Gavin Sharp 1 post
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    cor-el said

    So maybe Gavin can add it to his extension (some is already in it).

    Thanks for the suggestion! Any chances you could submit these changes as a pull request at https://github.com/gavinsharp/SearchReset ?

    ''cor-el [[#post-48144|said]]'' <blockquote> So maybe Gavin can add it to his extension (some is already in it). </blockquote> Thanks for the suggestion! Any chances you could submit these changes as a pull request at https://github.com/gavinsharp/SearchReset ?