InformAction Forums

Firefox no longer supports Java Script,Adobe Flash, or Silverlight and various other scripting plugins.
Does this mean that it is safe to uncheck these plugins in the "additional settings for untrusted
sites" in Noscript since the browser no longer processes these scripts anyway?

On the contrary, why would you ever need to allow something that's unsupported and won't work?

> Firefox no longer supports

> Java Script

JavaScript is not Java

> Adobe Flash

Flash is supported.


Further FF 52 ESR does & will continue to support Plugins - until it EOL.
Likewise other browsers may support Plugins.

Thank you barbaz for your reply. On the contrary, why would you need to waste resources by having NS
protect against something that is unsupported and won't work?

Thank you therube for your reply correcting my question, but you didn't answer it.
The mentioned plugins including Java (notJavascript) are only supported if you 'optionally' install ESR in FF52 .
Adobe Flash is virtually useless because it continually crashes if you bother to install it.
Your continued thoughts are appreciated.

You mentioned "Java Script", which I suppose is neither Java nor JavaScript.
So...

If Flash is useless to you, then don't install it, that way you won't use it (in FF), & won't have to worry about it.

Obviously you are free to configure as you wish.

Whether enabling a block, for Flash or for xyz, when you're not using Flash or xyz, to me, wouldn't particularly seem safer, so in that respect you would think you could disable the block & remain unaffected one way or the other. Whether there is any efficiency reasons for doing it one way or the other, wouldn't know?

Personally, I'd leave the blocks in place until someone showed me that doing so was detrimental to my browsing experience.

aracapelli wrote:Thank you barbaz for your reply. On the contrary, why would you need to waste resources by having NS
protect against something that is unsupported and won't work?

If resources are that significant an issue for you, then you have much bigger problems to worry about. But if resources are the issue, when you upgrade to Firefox 53 you probably will want to disable those protections.

Otherwise, IMO it's better to keep the protections. You won't be using those plugins, nor the plugin content. And it's no longer possible to use that stuff the way you'd want. So what do you gain from the increase in potential attack surface? Best harden the unused stuff as much as possible, because you never know what a haxxor might be able to do.

Personally, I'd be inclined to try setting "Apply these restrictions to whitelisted sites too" when even Flash gets dropped.

barbaz
therube

Thank you both for your solid opinions, which is what I was seeking. I have used NS for
so long that the idea of not using all its protections bothers me to the point that I
will leave them all in place and active regardless of how the browser handles plugins.
For now.
Respectfully,
aracapelli.

ps. controlling resources=efficiency.

You're welcome.