Firefox Default Manager 2.2 Extension
Saturday, June 26, 2010 17:40I just noticed a new Firefox extension after uninstalling the Bing Toolbar and restarting the browser. The extension is called Desktop Manager 2.2, both the options and uninstall buttons are disabled, the only permitted action is to disable the extension.
A right-click on the entry and the selection of About Default Manager 2.2 reveals that it is a Microsoft extension. No further information are provided on the other hand how it was installed in Firefox.
default manager 22
No information is provided on the extension’s purpose, which surely leaves many Firefox users puzzled about how the extension was installed and what service it provides.
microsoft default manager 22
A search on both Bing and Google reveals no relevant entries for Default Manager 2.2. A broader search for Default Manager links it to Microsoft’s Search Enhancement pack, the same pack that installs the Search Helper Extension in Firefox.
The Uninstall A Programs Control Panel applet revealed that a Microsoft Default Manager was installed yesterday, the same day that Windows Live Essentials Beta was installed on the test system.
microsoft default manager
Uninstalling the Microsoft Desktop Manager from the system removes the Firefox extension as well. To verify the finding we installed Windows Live Essentials beta again. A restart of Firefox after the installation confirmed the findings. The Firefox add-on Default Manager 2.2 was once again installed in the web browser.
There are still two questions remaining:
- What’s the purpose of installing the Default Manager 2.2 extension in Firefox
- Why is there still no option in Firefox to ask the user before new extensions are installed this way.
Have you discovered other extensions that are installed with your consent? Let us know in the comments
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Post tags: default manager, default manager 2.2, default manager extension, firefox-add on, firefox-extension, microsoft, microsoft live essentials
Laurie Ashton Farook says:
July 6th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Yep, it happened to me, too. Installed Windows Live Writer Beta, then Default Manager plugin shows up in Firefox. Not impressed with Microsoft for covert installations of things I didn’t want.
Thanks for the confirmation of where it came from.