'Browser managed...' Is this a virus/spyware?

RainbowsInTheSpray

Just come across a neat little entry on my Firefox settings page: 'your browser is being managed by your organisation'.

Is this something nasty which I've acquired somehow?

flaneurs_lobster

Are you using Avast?

RainbowsInTheSpray

If by that you are asking what antivirus programmes do I have, then I'm afraid it's just Avira free edition.

Andy_L

Is it a work computer?

RainbowsInTheSpray

Nope. just a home desktop.

giraffe69

You might consider disabling all your extensions and if this solves the problem re-enabling them one by one to see which one it is.
You could also run Malwarebytes which is free and effective.

SiliconChip

RainbowsInTheSpray said:

Nope. just a home desktop.

Did you buy it brand new from a retailer? It sounds to me like it's possible that it is an ex-business computer that was not fully wiped before it was marketed to you.

RainbowsInTheSpray

It almost certainly IS an ex-business PC ... BUT... it was me who installed the Mozilla after purchase.

frugalmacdugal

Hi,

this old THREAD suggests it's to do with Avast.

Might be to do with your Avira, as it's a free version you have, why not uninstall it and use free Windows Defender.

RainbowsInTheSpray

I guess we all have Windows Defender on Windows OS anyway, right? I was wondering whether an uninstall and re-install of Firefox might be the thing to do.

Jenni_D

It's unlikely to be to do with the Firefox install ... if the OS currently on the machine is the one that was used by the business then it'll still have hangovers from the business OS image that was used, which applies certain privileges based on a domain controller.

Perhaps the simpler solution is to wipe and reinstall Windows from a MS Windows ISO? (Making sure to backup your data etc. first, plus licence keys/files for any applications. Perhaps even make an image of the PC so you can always go back to the current position as a last resort).