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1 <h1>Chrome 33 Hosting Changes</h1> | 1 <h1>Chrome 33 Hosting Changes</h1> |
2 | 2 |
3 <p>As a follow-up to our blog post on | 3 <p>As a follow-up to our blog post on |
4 <a href="http://blog.chromium.org/2013/11/protecting-windows-users-from-maliciou
s.html">protecting Windows users from malicious extensions</a>, | 4 <a href="http://blog.chromium.org/2013/11/protecting-windows-users-from-maliciou
s.html">protecting Windows users from malicious extensions</a>, |
5 we’re enforcing the following changes starting in Chrome 33 Beta and stable chan
nels for Windows:<p> | 5 we’re enforcing the following changes starting in Chrome 33 Beta and stable chan
nels for Windows:<p> |
6 | 6 |
7 <ul> | 7 <ul> |
8 <li>Users can only install extensions hosted in the Chrome Web store, except f
or installs via | 8 <li>Users can only install extensions hosted in the Chrome Web store, except f
or installs via |
9 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453">enterprise policy</a
> | 9 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453">enterprise policy</a
> |
10 or <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted.html#unpacked">dev
eloper mode</a>.</li> | 10 or <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted#unpacked">develope
r mode</a>.</li> |
11 <li>Extensions that were previously installed, but not hosted on the Chrome We
b Store will be | 11 <li>Extensions that were previously installed, but not hosted on the Chrome We
b Store will be |
12 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2811969">hard-disabled</a> | 12 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2811969">hard-disabled</a> |
13 (i.e the user cannot enable these extensions again), except for installs via | 13 (i.e the user cannot enable these extensions again), except for installs via |
14 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453">enterprise policy</a
> | 14 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453">enterprise policy</a
> |
15 or <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted.html#unpacked">dev
eloper mode</a>.</li> | 15 or <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted#unpacked">develope
r mode</a>.</li> |
16 </ul> | 16 </ul> |
17 | 17 |
18 <h2>What’s the rationale for this measure?</h2> | 18 <h2 id="rationale">What’s the rationale for this measure?</h2> |
19 | 19 |
20 <p>See <a href="http://blog.chromium.org/2013/11/protecting-windows-users-from-m
alicious.html">Protecting Windows users from malicious extensions</a>.</p> | 20 <p>See <a href="http://blog.chromium.org/2013/11/protecting-windows-users-from-m
alicious.html">Protecting Windows users from malicious extensions</a>.</p> |
21 | 21 |
22 <h2>For extensions that are currently hosted outside the Chrome Web Store, what
should be done and by when?</h2> | 22 <h2 id="externally_hosted">For extensions that are currently hosted outside the
Chrome Web Store, what should be done and by when?</h2> |
23 | 23 |
24 <p>If your extensions are currently hosted outside the Chrome Web Store, | 24 <p>If your extensions are currently hosted outside the Chrome Web Store, |
25 you should migrate them to the Chrome Web Store as soon as possible. | 25 you should migrate them to the Chrome Web Store as soon as possible. |
26 The above changes are already effective on Chrome 33 Beta for Windows and | 26 The above changes are already effective on Chrome 33 Beta for Windows and |
27 will be effective on Chrome 33 stable for Windows (around end of Feb 2014). | 27 will be effective on Chrome 33 stable for Windows (around end of Feb 2014). |
28 Once you migrate your extensions to the Chrome Web Store, | 28 Once you migrate your extensions to the Chrome Web Store, |
29 there will be no impact to your users, | 29 there will be no impact to your users, |
30 who will still be able to use your extension as if nothing changed. | 30 who will still be able to use your extension as if nothing changed. |
31 And if you have a dedicated installation flow from your own website, | 31 And if you have a dedicated installation flow from your own website, |
32 you can make use of the existing | 32 you can make use of the existing |
33 <a href="https://developers.google.com/chrome/web-store/docs/inline_installation
">inline installs</a> feature. | 33 <a href="https://developers.google.com/chrome/web-store/docs/inline_installation
">inline installs</a> feature. |
34 If you’re migrating your extensions to the Chrome Web Store, start testing with
Chrome 33 right away.</p> | 34 If you’re migrating your extensions to the Chrome Web Store, start testing with
Chrome 33 right away.</p> |
35 | 35 |
36 <h2>What will happen if I migrate the extension to the Chrome Web Store sometime
in the future? Will I lose all my users?</h2> | 36 <h2 id="migration">What will happen if I migrate the extension to the Chrome Web
Store sometime in the future? Will I lose all my users?</h2> |
37 | 37 |
38 <p>Users will have their off-store extensions hard-disabled once the enforcement
rolls out in Chrome 33 stable/beta for Windows. | 38 <p>Users will have their off-store extensions hard-disabled once the enforcement
rolls out in Chrome 33 stable/beta for Windows. |
39 However, if the extension is migrated to the Chrome Web Store after the rollout, | 39 However, if the extension is migrated to the Chrome Web Store after the rollout, |
40 users would be able to manually to enable the migrated extension from extensions
settings page (chrome://extensions) | 40 users would be able to manually to enable the migrated extension from extensions
settings page (chrome://extensions) |
41 or from the Chrome Web Store listing.</p> | 41 or from the Chrome Web Store listing.</p> |
42 | 42 |
43 <h2>What if I want to restrict access to certain users or prevent my extension f
rom being listed on the Chrome Web Store?</h2> | 43 <h2 id="access_restriction">What if I want to restrict access to certain users o
r prevent my extension from being listed on the Chrome Web Store?</h2> |
44 | 44 |
45 <p>You can restrict access to your extension by limiting its visibility to Trust
ed Tester or | 45 <p>You can restrict access to your extension by limiting its visibility to Trust
ed Tester or |
46 by unlisting the extension from the Chrome Web Store.</p> | 46 by unlisting the extension from the Chrome Web Store.</p> |
47 | 47 |
48 <h2>Which operating systems and Chrome channels are affected by this change?</h2
> | 48 <h2 id="effective_changes">Which operating systems and Chrome channels are affec
ted by this change?</h2> |
49 | 49 |
50 <p>The changes are effective only for Windows stable and beta channels starting
with Chrome 33.</p> | 50 <p>The changes are effective only for Windows stable and beta channels starting
with Chrome 33.</p> |
51 | 51 |
52 <h2>Will this affect my ability to develop my extensions on Windows?</h2> | 52 <h2 id="unpacked">Will this affect my ability to develop my extensions on Window
s?</h2> |
53 | 53 |
54 <p>No. You can still load unpacked extensions in | 54 <p>No. You can still load unpacked extensions in |
55 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted.html#unpacked">develo
per mode</a> | 55 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/getstarted#unpacked">developer m
ode</a> |
56 on Windows. | 56 on Windows. |
57 Also, you can continue to develop extensions on Chrome Dev channel/Canary, | 57 Also, you can continue to develop extensions on Chrome Dev channel/Canary, |
58 where these changes are not effective.</p> | 58 where these changes are not effective.</p> |
59 | 59 |
60 <h2>How can I distribute my extension if I cannot upload it to the Chrome Web St
ore for policy reasons?</h2> | 60 <h2 id="policies">How can I distribute my extension if I cannot upload it to the
Chrome Web Store for policy reasons?</h2> |
61 | 61 |
62 <p>These changes are effective only on Windows stable and beta channel. | 62 <p>These changes are effective only on Windows stable and beta channel. |
63 Users who want to get extensions that are not hosted on the Chrome Web Store can
do so on | 63 Users who want to get extensions that are not hosted on the Chrome Web Store can
do so on |
64 <a href="http://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel">Chrome dev/canary
channels in Windows</a> | 64 <a href="http://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel">Chrome dev/canary
channels in Windows</a> |
65 or on all Chrome channels in other operating systems.</p> | 65 or on all Chrome channels in other operating systems.</p> |
66 | 66 |
67 <h2>Why couldn't this problem be solved by having a setting/option to load exten
sions that are not hosted in the Chrome Web Store?</h2> | 67 <h2 id="sandboxing">Why couldn't this problem be solved by having a setting/opti
on to load extensions that are not hosted in the Chrome Web Store?</h2> |
68 | 68 |
69 <p>Unlike modern mobile operating systems, | 69 <p>Unlike modern mobile operating systems, |
70 Windows does not sandbox applications. | 70 Windows does not sandbox applications. |
71 Hence we wouldn’t be able to differentiate between a user opting in | 71 Hence we wouldn’t be able to differentiate between a user opting in |
72 to this setting versus a malicious native app overriding the user’s setting.</p> | 72 to this setting versus a malicious native app overriding the user’s setting.</p> |
73 | 73 |
74 <h2>What are the supported deployment options for extensions after this change?<
/h2> | 74 <h2 id="deployment">What are the supported deployment options for extensions aft
er this change?</h2> |
75 | 75 |
76 <p>Apart from users installing extensions from the Chrome Web Store, | 76 <p>Apart from users installing extensions from the Chrome Web Store, |
77 the following deployment options will be supported:</p> | 77 the following deployment options will be supported:</p> |
78 | 78 |
79 <ul><li>For OSX and Linux, extensions can be installed via a | 79 <ul><li>For OSX and Linux, extensions can be installed via a |
80 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions.html#prefere
nces">preferences JSON file</a>.</li> | 80 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions#preferences"
>preferences JSON file</a>.</li> |
81 <li>For Windows, extensions can be installed via the | 81 <li>For Windows, extensions can be installed via the |
82 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions.html#registr
y">Windows registry</a>. | 82 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions#registry">Wi
ndows registry</a>. |
83 In the Windows registry, | 83 In the Windows registry, |
84 ensure that the update_url registry key points to the following URL: | 84 ensure that the update_url registry key points to the following URL: |
85 <a href="https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx">https://clients2.googl
e.com/service/update2/crx</a>. | 85 <a href="https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx">https://clients2.googl
e.com/service/update2/crx</a>. |
86 Local .crx installs via the path registry key are deprecated. | 86 Local .crx installs via the path registry key are deprecated. |
87 Note that this deployment option works only for Chrome Web Store hosted extensio
ns, | 87 Note that this deployment option works only for Chrome Web Store hosted extensio
ns, |
88 and update_url cannot point to any other host other than | 88 and update_url cannot point to any other host other than |
89 <a href="https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx">https://clients2.googl
e.com/service/update2/crx</a>.</li> | 89 <a href="https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx">https://clients2.googl
e.com/service/update2/crx</a>.</li> |
90 <li>For Enterprises, we’ll continue to support | 90 <li>For Enterprises, we’ll continue to support |
91 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453?hl=en" style="backgro
und-color:transparent">group policy</a> | 91 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453?hl=en" style="backgro
und-color:transparent">group policy</a> |
92 to install extensions, irrespective of where the extensions are hosted. | 92 to install extensions, irrespective of where the extensions are hosted. |
93 Note that the user's machine has to join a domain for GPO policy pushes to be ef
fective.</li> | 93 Note that the user's machine has to join a domain for GPO policy pushes to be ef
fective.</li> |
94 </ul> | 94 </ul> |
95 | 95 |
96 <h2>Are there any other considerations to be aware of for extensions that depend
on a native application binary?</h2> | 96 <h2 id="other_considerations">Are there any other considerations to be aware of
for extensions that depend on a native application binary?</h2> |
97 | 97 |
98 <p>Previously when off-store extensions were supported, | 98 <p>Previously when off-store extensions were supported, |
99 it was possible to have the third party application binaries and the sideloaded
extension be updated in lockstep. | 99 it was possible to have the third party application binaries and the sideloaded
extension be updated in lockstep. |
100 However, extensions hosted on the Chrome Web Store are updated via the Chrome up
date mechanism | 100 However, extensions hosted on the Chrome Web Store are updated via the Chrome up
date mechanism |
101 which developers do not control. | 101 which developers do not control. |
102 Extension developers should be careful about updating extensions that have a dep
endency on the native application binary | 102 Extension developers should be careful about updating extensions that have a dep
endency on the native application binary |
103 (for example, extensions using | 103 (for example, extensions using |
104 <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/messaging.html#native-messaging
">native messaging</a> | 104 <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/messaging#native-messaging">nat
ive messaging</a> |
105 or legacy extensions using | 105 or legacy extensions using |
106 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/npapi.html">NPAPI</a>).</p> | 106 <a href="http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/npapi">NPAPI</a>).</p> |
107 | 107 |
108 <h2>What will users see when their off-store extension is disabled as a result o
f this rollout?</h2> | 108 <h2 id="disabled_extension">What will users see when their off-store extension i
s disabled as a result of this rollout?</h2> |
109 | 109 |
110 <p>They will get a notification that says: | 110 <p>They will get a notification that says: |
111 “Suspicious Extensions Disabled” with a link to the following | 111 “Suspicious Extensions Disabled” with a link to the following |
112 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2811969">support article</a>.<
/p> | 112 <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2811969">support article</a>.<
/p> |
113 | 113 |
114 <h2>Why do I see a bubble about “Disable developer mode extensions” when loading
an unpacked extension in Windows stable/beta channels?</h2> | 114 <h2 id="diable_developer_mode">Why do I see a bubble about “Disable developer mo
de extensions” when loading an unpacked extension in Windows stable/beta channel
s?</h2> |
115 | 115 |
116 <p>We do not want the developer mode to be used as an attack vector for spreadin
g malicious extensions. | 116 <p>We do not want the developer mode to be used as an attack vector for spreadin
g malicious extensions. |
117 Hence we’re informing users about developer mode extensions on Windows stable/be
ta channels and | 117 Hence we’re informing users about developer mode extensions on Windows stable/be
ta channels and |
118 giving them an option to disable these extensions.</p> | 118 giving them an option to disable these extensions.</p> |
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