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win: document and improve Firefox telemetry #259
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This commit improves the existing Firefox privacy scripts and improves
the categorization and documentation to be simpler and more clear.

Changes:

- Rename and reorganize scripts for disabling browser telemetry and
  default browser agent reporting to simplify the structure.
- Improve documentation across scripts to provide clearer guidance on
  how the changes improve user privacy.
- Fix revert scripts by removing unnecessary registry key configuration.
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@undergroundwires
undergroundwires committed May 29, 2024
1 parent 22d6c79 commit 8341411
Showing 1 changed file with 81 additions and 40 deletions.
121 changes: 81 additions & 40 deletions src/application/collections/windows.yaml
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -6657,54 +6657,95 @@ actions:
deleteOnRevert: 'true'
-
category: Configure Firefox
docs: |-
This category provides scripts for enhancing Firefox privacy by limiting data shared with Mozilla.
children:
-
category: Disable default browser agent reporting
children:
-
name: Disable default browser agent reporting
recommend: standard
docs: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/firefox-now-tells-mozilla-what-your-default-browser-is-every-day/
code: reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox /v DisableDefaultBrowserAgent /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
revertCode: reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox /v DisableDefaultBrowserAgent /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
-
name: Disable services that report the default browser agent
recommend: standard
docs: |-
### Overview of default task statuses
name: Disable Firefox default browser and system data reporting
recommend: standard
docs: |-
This script disables the Firefox *Default Browser Agent*.
The agent collects and sends information about the user's default browser to Mozilla [1]
Disabling it halts the transmission of details such as the currently set default browser, the previous one,
and the operating system's locale and version number [2] [3].

`\Mozilla\Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB` (tested on version 118):
This enhances privacy by preventing browser preferences and usage data from being shared with Mozilla.

| OS Version | Default status |
| ---------------- | -------------- |
| Windows 10 22H2 | 🟢 Ready |
| Windows 11 22H2 | 🟢 Ready |
The script configures `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox!DisableDefaultBrowserAgent` registry key to
prevent the Default Browser Agent from taking any actions [4].

`\Mozilla\Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD` (tested on version 118):
[1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20231201223153/https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/toolkit/mozapps/defaultagent/default-browser-agent/index.html "Default Browser Agent — Firefox Source Docs documentation | firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org"
[2]: https://web.archive.org/web/20240313164703/https://blog.mozilla.org/data/2020/03/16/understanding-default-browser-trends/ "Understanding default browser trends – Data@Mozilla | blog.mozilla.org"
[3]: https://web.archive.org/web/20240313164715/https://github.com/mozilla-services/mozilla-pipeline-schemas/pull/495/files#diff-48f14d6bdea5bf803f8b8cff5f018172 "Bug 1602463 - Add a schema for the new default-browser ping · Pull Request #495 · mozilla-services/mozilla-pipeline-schemas · GitHub | github.com/mozilla-services"
[4]: https://web.archive.org/web/20240529061535/https://github.com/privacysexy-forks/policy-templates#disabledefaultbrowseragent "GitHub - privacysexy-forks/policy-templates: Policy Templates for Firefox | github.com/privacysexy-forks"
call:
function: SetRegistryValue
parameters:
keyPath: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox
valueName: DisableDefaultBrowserAgent
dataType: REG_DWORD
data: "1"
deleteOnRevert: 'true' # Missing by default since Windows 10 Pro (≥ 22H2) and Windows 11 Pro (≥ 23H2), last tested on Firefox v126
-
name: Disable Firefox background browser checks
recommend: standard
docs: |-
This script stops Firefox from automatically checking its default browser status and reporting to Mozilla every 24 hours [1] [2] by
disabling specific scheduled tasks that initiate initiate Firefox's *Default Browser Agent*.
It protects your privacy by preventing regular data sharing.

| OS Version | Default status |
| ---------------- | -------------- |
| Windows 10 22H2 | 🟡 N/A (missing) |
| Windows 11 22H2 | 🟡 N/A (missing) |
call:
-
function: DisableScheduledTask
parameters:
# Check: Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath '\Mozilla\' -TaskName 'Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB'
taskPathPattern: \Mozilla\
taskNamePattern: Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB
-
function: DisableScheduledTask
parameters:
# Check: Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath '\Mozilla\' -TaskName 'Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD'
taskPathPattern: \Mozilla\
taskNamePattern: Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD
### Overview of default task statuses

`\Mozilla\Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB` (tested on version 118):

| OS Version | Default status |
| ---------------- | -------------- |
| Windows 10 22H2 | 🟢 Ready |
| Windows 11 22H2 | 🟢 Ready |

`\Mozilla\Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD` (tested on version 118):

| OS Version | Default status |
| ---------------- | -------------- |
| Windows 10 22H2 | 🟡 N/A (missing) |
| Windows 11 22H2 | 🟡 N/A (missing) |

[1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20231201223153/https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/toolkit/mozapps/defaultagent/default-browser-agent/index.html "Default Browser Agent — Firefox Source Docs documentation | firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org"
[2]: https://web.archive.org/web/20240313164703/https://blog.mozilla.org/data/2020/03/16/understanding-default-browser-trends/ "Understanding default browser trends – Data@Mozilla | blog.mozilla.org"
call:
-
function: DisableScheduledTask
parameters:
# Check: Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath '\Mozilla\' -TaskName 'Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB'
taskPathPattern: \Mozilla\
taskNamePattern: Firefox Default Browser Agent 308046B0AF4A39CB
-
function: DisableScheduledTask
parameters:
# Check: Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath '\Mozilla\' -TaskName 'Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD'
taskPathPattern: \Mozilla\
taskNamePattern: Firefox Default Browser Agent D2CEEC440E2074BD
-
name: Disable Firefox metrics reporting
name: Disable Firefox telemetry data collection
recommend: standard
docs: https://github.com/privacysexy-forks/policy-templates#disabletelemetry
code: reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox /v DisableTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
revertCode: reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox /v DisableTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
docs: |-
This script disables Firefox's telemetry to prevent the collection and transmission of browser
performance and usage data to Mozilla [1].

Disabling telemetry prevents both the storage and transmission of this data [1], ensuring users'
browsing habits remain private.

The telemetry is disabled by configuring `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox!DisableTelemetry` registry key [1].

[1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20240529061535/https://github.com/privacysexy-forks/policy-templates#disabletelemetry "privacysexy-forks/policy-templates: Policy Templates for Firefox | github.com/privacysexy-forks"
call:
function: SetRegistryValue
parameters:
keyPath: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox
valueName: DisableTelemetry
dataType: REG_DWORD
data: "1"
deleteOnRevert: 'true' # Missing by default since Windows 10 Pro (≥ 22H2) and Windows 11 Pro (≥ 23H2), last tested on Firefox v126
-
category: Disable Google background automatic updates
docs: |-
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