If you read enough tech news on the internet, you’re probably used to seeing the same advice over and over again: Update your software to the latest version as soon as possible. This advice is repeated often, because, for the most part, it’s sound—updates not only give you access to the latest features, but also the most up to date stability and security patches. If you want to protect your software, hardware, and the data contained therein, update!
Web browsers are no exception. It’s particularly important to keep the tool you use to access the internet fully updated if you want to keep yourself safe as you surf the web. While you should update all web browsers whenever possible, it’s especially pertinent for Firefox users to update right now. If you don’t, your browser might stop working.
A Firefox root certificate is expiring
Table of Contents
Mozilla, the company that makes Firefox, issued a warning last year imploring users to update their browsers as soon as possible. Unlike most articles I write about browser updates, this particular update doesn’t include a security patch designed to protect against a vulnerability or active exploit. Instead, this version of Firefox updates a “root certificate,” which is necessary for the browser to continue operating as expected.
A root certificate is essentially the confirmation that Mozilla approved and certified an add-on. (That’s what Firefox calls browser extensions.) Whenever you install something like, say, uBlock Origin, Mozilla first has to ensure that add-on is authentic, as not doing so invites instability and security risks.
This root certificate is set to expire on Friday, March 14. Without this root certificate, Mozilla cannot confirm that your add-ons are actually legit, and, as such, will disable them. But it won’t just be your add-ons. The lack of a root certificate could also stop DRM-protected content from playing. That includes streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, since their content is, of course, digital locked up via DRM. In addition, Mozilla says systems that use content verification could stop working as well.
Firefox itself won’t completely cease to function after this root certificate expires. You can keep using the outdated version of the browser, if you insist. However, your add-ons and streaming services will likely stop working, among other functions. Perhaps even more critically, you’re setting yourself up for security issues: Without this certificate, malicious add-ons and websites could bypass Mozilla’s security features and wreak havoc on your machine, while Mozilla’s feature that gives you a heads up when your passwords are breached may not work.
There’s really no reason not to update Firefox to update the root certificate.
How to update Firefox
Luckily, this isn’t a case where you need to make any significant lifestyle changes to adapt. In fact, this really is as simple as updating your browser. As long as you’re running Firefox version 128 or newer, you’re set. (For context, the Firefox app on my Mac, which I rarely use, was running version 125, when the latest as of this piece is 136.) If you’re on a desktop, like Mac, Windows, or Linux, click Menu > Help > About Firefox. Firefox will look for the latest version, and, if found, will invite you to restart your browser to install it.
While this issue doesn’t affect iOS, it does affect Android, so make sure to update your mobile browser as well. To do so, open the app’s Play Store page and choose Update if one is available.