Detections
Analytics

6.1 Configure New Tab Page - browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.highlights

Information

The New Tab page shows a list of built-in top sites, as well as the top sites the user has visited by default.

Rationale:

Allowing the collection of browsing history by Firefox could inadvertently lead to sensitive data being exposed.

Impact:

Top site and user history will not be available on a new tab.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration, set the following values to false:

browser.urlbar.suggest.history

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.topsites

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.snippets

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.section.highlights.includePocket

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.highlights

Type about:config in the address bar

Type browser.urlbar.suggest.history in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

Type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.topsites in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

Type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.snippets in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

Type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

Type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.section.highlights.includePocket in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

Type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.highlights in the filter

Configure the setting as prescribed.

OR

Open the mozilla.cfg file in the installation directory with a text editor

Add the following lines to mozilla.cfg:

lockPref('browser.urlbar.suggest.history', false);
lockPref('browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.topsites', false);
lockPref('browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.snippets', false);
lockPref('browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories', false);
lockPref('browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.section.highlights.includePocket', false);
lockPref('browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.highlights', false);

Default Value:

browser.urlbar.suggest.history = true

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.topsites = true

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.snippets = false

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories = true

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.section.highlights.includePocket = true

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.highlights = false

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/4299

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-7a.

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 0d01d6bcb8d7daacb1de54d45aba6f1dcdbb0eab47f12db03820e45f9729b39e