Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

WOT's Firefox add-on disabled based on user data concerns

By

firefox 58 may be first major browser to block canvas fingerprinting mac screen desk header
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Web of Trust (WOT) service add-on aims to make browsing safer by monitoring the sites that users visit and warning when they run into a variety of danger such as scams, malware, and rogue web stores. WOT offers browser extensions and mobile apps that are intended to provide a “simple and safe browsing experience.”

However, Mozilla’s Firefox browser is apparently disabling the WOT add-on and marking it as suspicious based on concerns over the protection of user data. Apparently, WOT was previously identified as a problem add-on and removed from the list of available add-ons, and now those users who still have WOT installed in Firefox are no longer able to use it, as Graham Cluley Associates reports.

Recommended Videos

WOT is a crowdsourced solution service that analyzes the ratings of over 140 million users to determine when a web page might include unsafe content or links. With WOT installed, a traffic light icon  is used to indicate whether a current page is safe or unsafe, with a green light meaning that users have rated the site as safe, yellow if caution is advised, and red if potential threats have been identified.

According to reports in 2016, WOT gathers information on user browsing activities, including the date, time, location, and URL of pages visited. A user ID is associated with that data that WOT asserts is anonymous, but German broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) reporters were able to parse the data and pull out user-identifying information such as email addresses and names for at least 50 unique users.

On November 1, 2016, Mozilla was notified and, based on further research by Rob Wu, the WOT add-on was removed as a downloadable option. Users who still had the add-on installed and running were able to continue using it until January 25, 2017, when Mozilla apparently disabled WOT in Firefox.

Graham Cluley Associates
Graham Cluley Associates

News of Mozilla’s actions first popped up on WOT’s support forums, with a number of users complaining that the add-on no longer functions. The user receives a notification on trying to run the WOT add-on stating that “Versions 20170120 and lower of the Web of Trust add-on send excessive user data to its service, which has been reportedly shared with third parties without sufficient sanitization. These versions are also affected by a vulnerability that could lead to unwanted remote code execution.”

WOT has confirmed that it’s working to patch a remote code execution bug that exists with the tool, but there’s no word yet on whether WOT will fix the “deanonymizing” problem that led to the add-on being removed. Anyone who has the add-on installed should likely consider uninstalling it and waiting to see if WOT addresses Mozilla’s concerns.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock
Computing Writer
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for…
Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain
Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

 
What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Read more
I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Read more
How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.

Read more