Anonymous, Before doing anything, read What is plugin-container and this related topic: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1930019 plugin-container.exe

You can alternately uninstall Firefox 3.6.4 and then download and install an older version of Firefox here: http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

I would suggest Firefox 3.5.10 since it has the latest security updates and is more secure, even though it doesn't have all the features available in Firefox 3.6.3.

For detailed information see Install an older version of Firefox and http://kb.mozillazine.org/Go_back_to_an_old_version_of_Firefox

http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.6.3&os=win&lang=en-US

You can only find it there since AliceWyman's link does not contain the 3.6.3 version anymore.

Hi,

I have to say that I am disapointed too with this update. Every time you try to watch a video, there some outgoing connection from the browser that goes to I don't know what server. But I don't like the fact that there is this connection with the plug in container.

It has now being impossible watching a video before allowing about 15 requests with the firewall going to mozilla's server, otherwise the video won't be read which has never been the case on any browser. I just want to watch a video not being spyied abroad. For this reason I 'm saying goodbye to the internet. Bye everyone. May they all go to hell.

Mozilla is nothing without adblock or noscript, so the security concern is not a matter of update but of plug in.

Jahimself, that looks like Firefox trying to access the internet using the plugin container. Nothing unusual.

If you don't allow it to access, you won't see the video, I believe. You may want to instruct the firewall never to ask you again about that program.

Can I just disable plugin container? It'll solve all my problems with Firefox!

Can I just disable plugin container? It'll solve all my problems with Firefox! Anonymous, try this:

Disable the new plugin crash protection (OOPP) feature in Firefox 3.6.4 by going to about:config (check the link for details) and then toggle the individual dom.ipc.plugins.enabled. preferences to false.

...e.g., on Windows, enter about:config in the Firefox Location Bar (address bar), and then double-click these preferences to set them to false: dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npctrl.dll (Microsoft Silverlight) dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npqtplugin.dll (Apple QuickTime) dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npswf32.dll (Adobe Flash)

Note: The dom.ipc.plugins.enabled preference should already be set to "false", by default. This preference covers all other plugins not specified by an individual filename.

If you are only having a problem with a specific plugin, such as the Adobe Flash Player plugin, just disable that one preference.

Ref: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1929497 http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2010/06/firefox-3-6-4-now-available/ http://benjamin.smedbergs.us/blog/2010-03-03/firefox-safe-from-plugin-crashes/

Thanks AliceWyman! Plugin container disappeared fom processes.

Plugin container is really annoying! I f***ing hate the new Firefox update, like some already said it breaks hundreds of sites. Plugin container is also sending information to a site called www.akamaitechnologies.com, user tracking server also used by Microsoft, and I will keep blocking it because I simply don't want any spyware to collect personal information.

Shame on you Mozilla :(

...edited by moderator for offensive language. aw

Anonymous, please update your Firefox to the latest version (3.6.6) and see if your problems disappear.

If they don't, please read my original post on this issue. If that too doesn't help, please let me know the results of the last point in the second list.

Morbus,

Stop spouting this load of crap, and do everyone the respect of admitting that YOU, Firefox, are the problem. Not Adobe, and certainly not us.

This problem did NOT exist before the last update, so stop dismissing our concerns and just FIX it.

After being an avid user since the 1.x days, FF has come to a point where I can no longer use it, nor recommend it. Maybe I'm not being too lenient, and maybe 4 will address all of my problems and concerns, but for now I'll switch to SRWare Iron.

@ Anonymous I'm not Firefox, and I don't have a problem. I'm not experiencing problems with my Firefox too, so...

You, on the other hand, seem to be rude and uninformed. Please read read this before anything else. Then please follow my advice. If it doesn't help, please tell me so I can help you from there.

Well, FireFox just updated to 3.6.6 and suddenly my system resources are low and sites that loaded fast now load slowly. I rarely saw this "plugin container.exe" in my task manager. Now it's there all the time and eating up precious memory. That's one of the reasons I switched over from IE.

Jeez, can't companies learn how NOT to screw up a good thing??

Morbus, your advice might be helpful in some circumstances, but you are obviously not helping solve this CPU issue for users that ARE having it. Your approach to helping people is akin to a customer service representative reading a script; it helps with simple issues, but is worthless for anything else.

I've seen your advice before, and tried your steps before to solve this problem...no solutions presented themselves.

We know you are not having this issue, so please stop telling us that. You've said your bit, now please be quiet unless you have additional, HELPFUL imformation to add.

We ARE having this issue, and we want developers to know about it so that they might look into whats going on NO MATTER WHO MIGHT BE RESPONSIBLE. The bottom line is that all kinds computers run firefox, and this new feature they have installed is running away with CPU for some reason for some users.

I have found that both Adobe and Microsoft Silverlight plugins cause the runaway CPU problem for me. I am happy to report that the advice given by AliceWyman has stopped the plug-in container from sucking up my CPU.

Anoniem, please don't tell me to be quiet.

And, in the end, no one ever said anything that my post didn't help. Also, no one of those that my post didn't help ever replied to the last point on the second list. There is no way for me to know whether someone tried my advice unless they explicitly say so. And the truth is, most users see the title, read the original post, and post something saying they have the same problem, without previously reading the topic in search of a solution.

If you are having a problem please follow my instructions. If they don't help you, please reply to the last point on the second list. Hopefully we'll be able to move on from there.

I said I didn't have a problem because Anonymous seemingly said I had a problem. I was just clearing that up.

Also, if you, like you say, want developers to know about this issue, I recommend you contact the developers of the plugin(s) you're having troubles with. Only they have access to their plugin's source code and only they can judge if it's their plugin that needs to be fixed or if it's a bug with Firefox (since they have access to Firefox's source code too, like we all do). If they find it's a bug in Firefox and there's nothing they can do, they will contact Firefox's developers with more detail than you or I can give. Unless, of course, it's not an issue with a plugin, in which case, and again, please reply to the last point on the second list on my post.

If you simply refuse to access support, like you seem to, kindly don't ask for support. If you want to notify the developers directly, please use the appropriate places (bugzilla, if you have technical details, or at least a good accurate description of the problem, or mozillaZine, if you don't).

I'm closing this thread as "solved" because the original question, My CA requests permission re Firefox "plug-in container" Is this a virus or real? ... has been answered.

The plugin-container process is legitimate and you are safe allowing it full access. Ref: What is plugin-container

If you search your system for plugin-container you will see that it is part of the Firefox program. On my Windows XP system, it is in the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox folder: File name: plugin-container.exe Description: Plugin Container for Firefox Company: Mozilla Corporation

If anyone has other questions or problems, please start a new topic.

I have found that both Adobe and Microsoft Silverlight plugins cause the runaway CPU problem for me. I am happy to report that the advice given by AliceWyman has stopped the plug-in container from sucking up my CPU. Anoniem, I'm glad my suggestion (here) was able to work around the CPU issue.

If you want to reverse the change so that Firefox can again use its new plugin-container crash protection feature (e.g., to see if a future Firefox update resolves the problem), just reset the individual dom.ipc.plugins.enabled. preferences back to the default values: Enter about:config in the Firefox Location Bar (address bar), and then double-click these preferences to set them back to true: dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npctrl.dll (Microsoft Silverlight) dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npqtplugin.dll (Apple QuickTime) dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.npswf32.dll (Adobe Flash)