[tor-bugs] #29347 [Obfuscation/meek]: Rewrite meek-http-helper as a WebExtension

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#29347: Rewrite meek-http-helper as a WebExtension
------------------------------+--------------------------
 Reporter:  dcf               |          Owner:  dcf
     Type:  enhancement       |         Status:  assigned
 Priority:  Medium            |      Milestone:
Component:  Obfuscation/meek  |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal            |     Resolution:
 Keywords:  webextension      |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:                    |         Points:
 Reviewer:                    |        Sponsor:
------------------------------+--------------------------
Description changed by dcf:

Old description:

> Firefox 60 ESR (the current basis of Tor Browser 8) officially doesn't
> support "legacy" browser extensions using XPCOM/XUL, only the newer
> WebExtension API.
> https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/60.0esr/releasenotes/#changed
> Tor Browser still includes some legacy extensions; apparently what makes
> them keep working is a [https://gitweb.torproject.org/tor-
> browser.git/tree/browser/app/profile/000-tor-
> browser.js?id=4d0f9fa5fdd5831fbc2e28cb6c7b1056bd4deeab#n265
> extensions.legacy.exceptions] pref (#26127; thanks sukhe for knowing
> that). I don't see where !meek-http-helper at bamsoftware.com is being
> allowed (edit: probably a [comment:4|source patch], thanks mcs), but
> somehow it is still working too.
>
> Assess whether it's possible to rewrite the helper as a WebExtension, and
> do it if so. Ideally it will be possible to keep 100% compatibility with
> the current helper interface; but changing meek-client and meek-client-
> torbrowser is also an option.

New description:

 Firefox 60 ESR (the current basis of Tor Browser 8) officially doesn't
 support "legacy" browser extensions using XPCOM/XUL, only the newer
 WebExtension API.
 https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/60.0esr/releasenotes/#changed
 Tor Browser still includes some legacy extensions; apparently what makes
 them keep working is a [https://gitweb.torproject.org/tor-
 browser.git/tree/browser/app/profile/000-tor-
 browser.js?id=4d0f9fa5fdd5831fbc2e28cb6c7b1056bd4deeab#n265
 extensions.legacy.exceptions] pref (#26127; thanks sukhe for knowing
 that). I don't see where !meek-http-helper at bamsoftware.com is being
 allowed (edit: probably a [comment:4 source patch], thanks mcs), but
 somehow it is still working too.

 Assess whether it's possible to rewrite the helper as a WebExtension, and
 do it if so. Ideally it will be possible to keep 100% compatibility with
 the current helper interface; but changing meek-client and meek-client-
 torbrowser is also an option.

--

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/29347#comment:7>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online