[Osiris]

How To Uninstall Windows Presentation Foundation Plugin In Firefox

Firefox users with the latest Microsoft .net Framework 3.5 SP1 installed might have noticed a message yesterday on browser startup that was telling them that the Windows Presentation Foundation plugin and the Microsoft .net Framework Assistant add-on. Quite a few things puzzled many users about this: Most were pretty sure that they did not install the add-on or plugin in first place which made it even more mysterious to them. When they checked the plugins section in Firefox add-ons they also noticed that they could not uninstall the Windows Presentation Foundation plugin in Firefox. Had not it been blocked it would be possible to disable it but that’s not the same thing obviously.

[newbiebuilderguy]

Thanks , Osiris. Just out of curiosity , why create the backup? Also , users might want to know that you have to uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files" option in folder options otherwise you will not find it.

[kimsland]

The Security patch released: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-054 - Critical: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (974455)
Will stop the exploit of this Firefox vulnerability
But from reading more about this issue, and I note that I had to go to Google to find clearer information to do this)
It would seem that no one wants this installed in Firefox in the first place !
And not only that, but it was an automatic install by Microsoft in February this year (imagine that)

Here's the uninstall procedure for Firefox users:
Note: Windows 7 users just need to uninstall the Firefox pluggin normally

Close all Firefox browsers
Start > Run > c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Windows Presentation Foundation
Right click on NPWPF.dll, and rename it to NPWPF.OLD
Restart your computer

Start > Run > Regedit
Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins
Right click on: @microsoft.com/WPF,version=3.5
Select "Export"
Give it a name like "BadPluggin" in the Save Box, then select Save button
Right click on: @microsoft.com/WPF,version=3.5 again
Select "Delete"
Restart your computer

All done

[Trotter]

Originally Posted by kimsland

It would seem that no one wants this installed in Firefox in the first place !

EXACTLY!!!! And yet this is TWICE, not once, but TWICE MS has been caught with their pants around their ankles messing with Firefox.

Last time I checked, installing something on someone's computer without their consent was regarded as malware and illegal.

[Osiris]

Firefox blocks and backtracks on 'insecure' MS add-ons

Mozilla disabled two Microsoft developed Firefox add-ons over the weekend after deciding the applications posed a security risk. It has since revised its safety assessment and set about removing the plugins from its blacklist.
The Microsoft Framework 1.1 Assistant FireFox extension and Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation Firefox plugin were both branded as unstable and consigned to application limbo on Friday. Firefox fans who had the plug-ins installed received a pop-up notice explaining that "unstable or insecure add-ons" have been disabled, the Washington Post reports.


A patch for Microsoft .NET published in May installed both the Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant and Windows Presentation Foundation plug-ins onto Firefox. This installation happened without the informed consent of Mozilla users and, worse still, was difficult to undo without editing the Windows Registry.

Redmond responded to the issue by publishing a simple tool to remove Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant. Last week concerns emerged the component could be used to launch security attacks against Firefox users.
The potential issue emerged shortly after Microsoft published a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer as part of a bumper patch batch last week. Acting over concerns that Firefox users who were late in applying this patch might be exposed to attack, Mozilla applied changes to neuter both the Windows Presentation and Microsoft Framework 1.1 Assistant plugins.
Mike Shaver, Mozilla's vice president of engineering, explained Mozilla's intervention in a blog posting last Friday.
"Because of the difficulties some users have had entirely removing the add-on, and because of the severity of the risk it represents if not disabled, we contacted Microsoft today to indicate that we were looking to disable the extension and plugin for all users via our blocklisting mechanism. Microsoft agreed with the plan, and we put the blocklist entry live immediately."
However, it subsequently emerged that the Microsoft Framework Assistant add-on poses no threat to Firefox users. Mozilla is in the process of removing both components from its blocklist, as explained in Shaver's latest post here.

Firefox blocks and backtracks on 'insecure' MS add-ons ? The Register

[septic]

the applications posed a security risk

add-on poses no threat to Firefox users.

So what is general consensus- is it or isn't it? What are the ramifications of deleting this WPF? What is wpf used for? Is it going to come back with my next windows update?

[Trotter]

I don't care if it was a risk or not. My point is that it was installed without my consent.

[septic]

I agree with you completely trotter. I just didn't want to start ranting and show my true colors. Even though, fmi, I ran malware bytes just to see and nothing. I still say its malware.