Firefox/Projects/Plugin Update Referrals

Overview

Our goal is to get as many people who use Firefox to also update their plugins to improve the security of their systems. We want to do this in the Firefox 3.6 time frame. Suggested path is:

• Maintain a list of common plugins and versions.
• Offer a page on mozilla.com that checks plugin versions and offers links to updated versions of those plugins.
• Use the plugin blocklist capabilities in Firefox to push users to update.

Design

Note that this still needs review and storyboarding.

The browser should use the existing blocklist functionality in order to figure out if someone has old plugins installed. Once it notices that you're using an outdated plugin it should open a new tab to the web page we have on mozilla.com that checks for updated plugins.

We also need to be careful that we don't open up the tab for an updated plugin more than once. Many people can't update their plugins due to a lack of admin rights.

In addition we should also offer a check in the Help -> Check for Updates that checks to see if plugins are all updated or not using the same mechanism.

Progress

See Plugins:PluginCheck for updates on the website and service side of this problem.

See Security:ThePluginProblem for some thoughts from Chris Hofmann on the topic.

Web Site

• Still under design. Laura and Alix are leading.

Service

• Still under design. Morgamic leading.

Partners

• Kev not in the loop yet. Need to work with at least:
  • Apple (Quicktime)
  • Adobe (Flash, Shockwave, Reader)
  • Microsoft (Silverlight)
  • DivX
  • Sun (Java)

Firefox

• Blocklist changes not speced.
• Check for update changes not speced.
• Integration with mozilla.com not speced.
• Initial experience not speced.

Bugs

None yet.