Browser Guide

Firefox Deployment

Windows macOS Linux

Deploy Ghostery Tracker & Ad Blocker to Mozilla Firefox browsers across your organization. Firefox uses a policies.json approach for enterprise configuration, with optional GPO support via ADMX templates.

Extension Details

Quick Deploy with policies.json

The simplest way to deploy Ghostery to Firefox is using the policies.json file:

{
  "policies": {
    "ExtensionSettings": {
      "firefox@ghostery.com": {
        "installation_mode": "force_installed",
        "install_url": "https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/ghostery/latest.xpi"
      }
    }
  }
}

policies.json Location

Choose Your Deployment Method

Configure Extension Settings

Firefox uses managed storage manifests to configure extension behavior. This requires two steps:

Step 1: Create the Managed Storage Manifest

Create a JSON file with your configuration:

{
  "name": "firefox@ghostery.com",
  "description": "Ghostery managed configuration",
  "type": "storage",
  "data": {
    "disableOnboarding": true,
    "disableUserControl": true,
    "trustedDomains": ["your-company.com"]
  }
}

Step 2: Register the Manifest

Windows

Create a registry key pointing to the manifest file:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\ManagedStorage\firefox@ghostery.com
(Default) = "C:\path\to\ghostery-config.json"

macOS

Place the manifest at:

/Library/Application Support/Mozilla/ManagedStorage/firefox@ghostery.com.json

Linux

Place the manifest at:

/etc/firefox/managed-storage/firefox@ghostery.com.json

or

/usr/lib/mozilla/managed-storage/firefox@ghostery.com.json

Complete policies.json Example

A full policies.json with extension installation and managed storage:

{
  "policies": {
    "ExtensionSettings": {
      "firefox@ghostery.com": {
        "installation_mode": "force_installed",
        "install_url": "https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/ghostery/latest.xpi",
        "default_area": "navbar"
      }
    },
    "ManagedBookmarks": [],
    "DisableAppUpdate": false
  }
}

Verify Installation

After deploying the policy:

1. Open Firefox and navigate to about:policies
2. Verify your policies are listed under "Active"
3. Navigate to about:addons to confirm Ghostery is installed
4. The extension should show "Installed by your organization"

Firefox-Specific Considerations

Firefox ESR

For enterprise deployments, Mozilla recommends Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release), which receives security updates for a longer period. Ghostery is fully compatible with Firefox ESR.

Extension Signing

Firefox requires all extensions to be signed by Mozilla. The Ghostery extension from Firefox Add-ons is signed and will install without issues. If using custom builds, ensure they are properly signed.

Auto-Updates

When deployed via install_url pointing to Firefox Add-ons, the extension will automatically update. For controlled update management, consider using custom builds.

Manifest V2 Support

Unlike Chrome, Firefox continues to support Manifest V2 extensions. Ghostery provides both MV2 and MV3 versions for Firefox, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance.