desktop_user.js/README.md

## user.js | Firefox, Firefox ESR and Firefox Nightly.
A `user.js` file for configuring and hardening desktop Firefox privacy.

Concretely, this is a fork from the [arkenfox](https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js) project.


## Goals

* enhance privacy and security
* improve performance
* better fingerprint possible
* reduce automatic connections to the minimum posible

## Considerations

This user.js is a fork from the arkenfox project with a substantial divergence. It tries to avoid all the automatic connections even though security could be reduced slightly.
For instance, OSCP is a privacy breach. Nevertheless, it is also a security feature. This user.js disables them as well as safebrowsing, automatic addons connections and so on. You will have to check manually addons updates in the related preferences section.

However, one connection could not be blocked anymore:

* firefox.settings.services.mozilla.com

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1598562#c13

[How to stop Firefox from making automatic connections](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making-automatic-connections)
(Section "Automatic updates and Security/Login breach information")

So you will have to include it to the host list of your OS.

Nevertheless, consider installing Abrowser from Trisquel, Icecat from Parabola and/or Iceweasel for Parabola. They lack that connection:

[Abrowser](https://archive.trisquel.info/trisquel/pool/main/f/firefox/?C=S;O=D)

[Icecat for Parabola](https://repomirror.parabola.nu/sources/parabola/)

[Iceweasel](https://repomirror.parabola.nu/sources/parabola/)


If you are still interested in using vanilla Firefox take into account it makes a connection to aus5.mozilla.org in order to autoupdate itself so you'll also have to add it to your host list.
Alternatively, you could copy the folder `distribution` with the `policies.json` file into your Firefox installation folder. More information about this:

[Customizing firefox using policies.json](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-policiesjson)

[DisableAppUpdate](https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md#disableappupdate)

Anyway, consider installing [Librewolf](https://librewolf-community.gitlab.io) instead of these. It's almost mitigated.

## Updating addons

Write about:addons

Choose Extensions

Click the icon above on the right (Tools for all add-ons) and Check for updates.

You may also install them manually downloading the respective xpi files.


## Adding new search engines

Installing new search engines from mycroftproject.com web is not working. Besides, they have embedded Google analytic trackers recently.
Follow this guide instead:

[Add a search engine from the address bar](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-or-remove-search-engine-firefox#w_add-a-search-engine-from-the-address-bar)


## Known problems

`Some breakage?`

Try changing "network.http.referer.XOriginPolicy" from 2 to 1


`Performance loss?`

Change these strings from false to true:

javascript.options.ion

javascript.options.baselinejit

javascript.options.native_regexp



## Thanks:

I really thank the following authors:

* [Arkenfox](https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js) - The majority of this user.js and updates.
* [LibreWolf](https://gitlab.com/librewolf-community) - Some strings.
* [Quindecim](https://git.nixnet.xyz/quindecim/mobile_user.js) - Some unique strings.
* [Tor Project](https://www.torproject.org) - Some Tor Browser strings.
* [Spyware Watchdog](https://web.archive.org/web/20200402031335/https://spyware.neocities.org/guides/firefox.html) - Mozilla Firefox Spyware Mitigation Guide (Archive.org)

## License

GNU General Public License v3.0.

See `LICENSE` for more details.

## Other mirrors

https://gitlab.com/Jorgu81/user.js/tree/master/Firefox%20Desktop