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In a recent update of the .NET framework Microsoft silently installs an extension to your Firefox browser if it is found on your system. This extension enables websites you visit with Firefox to silently install software on your computer, thus injecting the most serious flaw of Internet Explorer into Firefox.

Microsoft installs this extension in such a way that it cannot be removed directly by the user -- it is listed in the Extensions list but Uninstall is disabled.

This is not a bug -- this is the intended functionality of the Firefox extension, probably to enable Microsoft to install software on your machine when you visit their websites with Firefox instead of IE. This extension introduces a serious security vulnerability to Firefox. It should be removed immediately, using the instructions below.

Please take this very seriously. This kind of vulnerability is the main reason you started using Firefox instead of IE in the first place.

How to disable the Firefox .NET Framework Assistant installed by Microsoft:

Since Microsoft has taken steps to actively prevent removal of the .NET Framework Assistant extension by the user you need to edit the registry and manually delete the installed files. You can get instructions explaining how to do this from the Windows Annoyances web site, on this page:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article08-600

Note that on Windows 7 and possibly some Versions of Vista the Uninstall button may actually be active for the .NET extension in the Firefox extensions list. However, using it does not appear to remove all the components of the extension. Since the vulnerability is so serious you should still manually check all the items on the Windows Annoyances check list to make sure they have all been removed.

In a recent update of the .NET framework Microsoft silently installs an extension to your Firefox browser if it is found on your system. This extension enables websites you visit with Firefox to silently install software on your computer, thus injecting the most serious flaw of Internet Explorer into Firefox.

In a recent update of the .NET framework Microsoft silently installs an extension to your Firefox browser if it is found on your system. This extension enables websites you visit with Firefox to silently install software on your computer, thus injecting the most serious flaw of Internet Explorer into Firefox.

That must be verging on illegality, surely?  If Microsoft want to make their own software buggy and insecure, that's fine.  But to do the same to a third party's competing program, and then make it very difficult to remove is very, very wrong.  How long will it be before dodgy websites take advantage of that, then people will be blaming Mozilla instead of Microsoft.  I'm not a happy bunny

Anyway, I've now removed it, but that process is not for the non-computer literate.

This is a serious warning from a respected source.

If you are using Firefox you may want to check Tools > Add-ons to see if Microsoft have installed this extension without your permission.

Please be aware that modifying the Windows Registry is not for the faint-hearted, and could seriously damage your system if you get it wrong.

If Microsoft want to make their own software buggy and insecure, that's fine. But to do the same to a third party's competing program, and then make it very difficult to remove is very, very wrong. How long will it be before dodgy websites take advantage of that, then people will be blaming Mozilla instead of Microsoft. I'm not a happy bunny

Like John from St Ciers 33820, France, I do not seem to have any reference to NET in my Firefox Tools/Add-ons, only a "Java Quick Starter", which I assume is not the Microsoft modification in question.