InformAction Forums

Hello,
I want to use noscript to block flash playback on a certain websie for which I use a local java script (with scriptish add-on). I set the embeddings settings to only block Flash but allow Javascript and blocked the website, yet the flash app keeps working but my javascript does not.

Now when I set noscript to allow ALL websites by default and check the checkbox "also apply those settings for trusted websites" everything works fine, the flash app is being blocked and I can use my script.

But why does this not work if I only block the website? This add on seems to be very messed up. I messed a bit with the settings and sometimes I wasn't able to block the website again after I fully unblocked it. All I want to do is only block the flash on the website and let everything else run. I've also read through the FAQ and exactly followed point 1.12 but it just doesn't work. Noscript just seems to block everything, including my local javascript even though I ONLY enabled the option to block flash.
I also did research with google but no one else seems to have this problem.
Help would be really be appreciated.

Frozen5893 wrote:Hello,
I want to use noscript to block flash playback on a certain websie for which I use a local java script (with scriptish add-on). I set the embeddings settings to only block Flash but allow Javascript and blocked the website, yet the flash app keeps working but my javascript does not.

Er...do you mean 'Java' rather than 'JavaScript'? They're very different technologies; one is a plugin that you can disable with NoScript (or not), the other is a scripting language. You can't switch off JavaScript blocking in NoScript except by trusting a website (or using 'Scripts Globally Allowed').

Now when I set noscript to allow ALL websites by default and check the checkbox "also apply those settings for trusted websites" everything works fine, the flash app is being blocked and I can use my script.

But why does this not work if I only block the website?

If you block the website, then JavaScript will be blocked (not negotiable), plus whichever plugins you have checked in Options-Embeddings will be blocked.

If you want to allow JavaScript but block Flash, then what you want to do is allow the website, check the Flash option in Options-Embeddings, and check 'Apply these restrictions to whitelisted sites too'.

This add on seems to be very messed up. I messed a bit with the settings and sometimes I wasn't able to block the website again after I fully unblocked it. All I want to do is only block the flash on the website and let everything else run. I've also read through the FAQ and exactly followed point 1.12 but it just doesn't work. Noscript just seems to block everything, including my local javascript even though I ONLY enabled the option to block flash.

If you want to block plugins and not JavaScript, then you need to allow the site(s) first, then use the Options-Embeddings tab to select which plugins to block on whitelisted sites.

To block a website again, click 'Forbid <site name>', or if you temporarily allowed it, you can 'Revoke Temporary Permissions'. Then ensure that you refresh the page (by default, this happens automatically, but you said that you changed some of the settings).

By the way, thanks for reading the FAQ before posting! It has the solutions to many people's issues. Possibly the reason that section 1.12 didn't work for you is that it only talks about allowing the top-level site, the one in the address bar. I don't know whether that is enough to run custom scripts via Scriptish; I'm not familiar with it. You might want to look in your NoScript menu to see what it's blocking.

If you want to allow JavaScript but block Flash, then what you want to do is allow the website, check the Flash option in Options-Embeddings, and check 'Apply these restrictions to whitelisted sites too'.

But then flash is blocked for all websites. Why can't I only block flash for one website? Why do you have to block ALL websites if you want only flash blocked? That doesn't make much sense to me really. Looks like I will just uninstall this add on. I only want 1 website to be blocked and not all whitelisted

Frozen5893 wrote:

If you want to allow JavaScript but block Flash, then what you want to do is allow the website, check the Flash option in Options-Embeddings, and check 'Apply these restrictions to whitelisted sites too'.

But then flash is blocked for all websites. Why can't I only block flash for one website? Why do you have to block ALL websites if you want only flash blocked? That doesn't make much sense to me really. Looks like I will just uninstall this add on. I only want 1 website to be blocked and not all whitelisted

Yes, that configuration will apply to all websites. Isn't that the point of an addon? Especially an addon that is, first and foremost, all about security. Do you really want NoScript to do nothing except block Flash at a single website? That's tremendous overkill, and fails to achieve NoScript's primary purpose of protecting you from unknown active content.

May I ask what is so objectionable about this single instance of Flash?

Theoretically you can probably accomplish what you want with ABE, if you're interested, but it means writing rules, and you won't get the placeholder allowing you to play the Flash on demand. You could also try the Host Permissions addon.

Talking about Security: Then why can i set it so that it only blocks flash and allows javascripts? If I can set this for all whitelisted websites then why not for single ones?

Anyways I can't bother messing around with that add on anymore. Thanks for your help though.

Frozen5893 wrote:Talking about Security: Then why can i set it so that it only blocks flash and allows javascripts?

Well, you can, by allowing the site, but configuring NoScript to block Flash even at trusted sites.

If I can set this for all whitelisted websites then why not for single ones?

Lots of people want that, and it's coming in NoScript 3.x for the desktop. It's a big job for Giorgio, though, so the release date is uncertain. In the meantime, ABE can do a similar job, but requires more work to set up, and it sounds like your needs are much simpler.

Have you tried Flashblock? It will apply to all sites, but you can whitelist ones that you don't want to touch. It's not really a security tool, but it sounds like you're not really after a security tool. Again, Host Permissions might suit you; you can use it to block plugins at selected sites. It will also affect other plugins like Java and Silverlight, though.

Anyways I can't bother messing around with that add on anymore. Thanks for your help though.

Sorry to see you go, but you're welcome. NoScript is excellent at what it does, but it sounds like you're looking for something else.