policies.json not applying
Hi,
I am running Firefox 74.0 on Windows 10 (1709). I have created a policies.json file and saved this in `C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\distribution`.
The settings within it are not being applied. I tried to put this same policies.json file in a new folder named `distribution` under Firefox's binary location in a Linux environment and the policies didn't apply there either.
File as below:
{
"policies": {
"Certificates": {
"ImportEnterpriseRoots": true,
"Install": [
"cert.pem"
]
},
"Homepage": {
"StartPage": "homepage",
"URL": "http://<our homepage redacted>"
},
"Proxy": {
"AutoLogin": false,
"HTTPProxy": "http://<proxy server redacted>:<port redacted>",
"Mode": "system",
"SOCKSVersion": 4,
"UseHTTPProxyForAllProtocols": true,
"UseProxyForDNS": false
}
}
}
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Kind regards, Edan
All Replies (10)
What if you try the simplest part only --
{
"policies": {
"Homepage": {
"StartPage": "homepage",
"URL": "https://support.mozilla.org/"
}
}
}
-- then add other policies one at a time?
Hi,
Thanks for your rpely.
I have tried the below config as I thought it was the simplest and easiest policy to test. This did not work either. :(
{
"policies": {
"BlockAboutConfig": true
}
}
Regards
Are you sure there isn't a hidden .txt file extension on policies.json? See:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-show-file-extensions-in-windows/
Usually exiting and restarting Firefox will trigger a re-read of policies.json but you also could try a system restart in case Firefox is not unloading properly.
Are you possibly using GPO ? I don't think that policies.json works when GPO is active.
Did you check the about:policies page ?
Hi,
We are not managing Firefox via GPO. The file extension is definitely .json (see attached image).
Weird, huh?
Thanks, Edan
Any chance Firefox is running from a different directory, i.e., not
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
Hi,
No, it's definitely from that location. Also, can't get it to work on my Linux Mint VM either.
Thank you, Edan
Does Firefox validate the policies.json file and view the file with the JSON viewer if you open the file is a tab ?
Did you try to recreate policies.json in Linux using an installed plain text editor then this should work and you should see the policy on the about:policies#active page.
If you use the same file in Linux and in Windows and the file isn't working in either then this would suggest a problem with the file.
Hi,
The JSON looks fine to me.
Thanks Edan
Your System Details list shows the Enterprise Policy Generator extension.
This extension would create GPO rules and that makes policies.json not work. The error you see on the about:policies#errors page also indicate that other rules are being applied that fail for some reason.
You can inspect the Mozilla and Firefox keys with the Windows Registry Editor in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and possibly in HKEY_CURRENT_USER with the Windows Registry Editor to see whether GPO policy rules are active.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\