IronFox/scripts/patches.yaml

categories:
  - name: "Accessibility"
    excerpt: "Patches that improve accessibility features for all users."
    description: >
      These patches aim to make the browser more accessible, such as enabling zoom features
      universally so that users with visual impairments can navigate websites more easily.

  - name: "Build System"
    excerpt: "Modifications to improve and stabilize the build process."
    description: >
      Patches in this category focus on altering the build system by removing unnecessary dependencies,
      fixing build issues, or optimizing the build flow to ensure successful compilation and better reproducibility.

  - name: "Dependency"
    excerpt: "Changes that remove or replace proprietary or external dependencies."
    description: >
      These patches remove dependencies on closed-source or third-party services, replacing them with open-source
      alternatives to enhance transparency, privacy, and control over the software stack.

  - name: "Privacy"
    excerpt: "Enhancements that minimize data collection and tracking."
    description: >
      This category includes patches that disable telemetry, remove proprietary services,
      strip tracking features, and integrate privacy-focused alternatives to improve user privacy and data protection.

  - name: "Security"
    excerpt: "Patches that improve default security settings and reduce attack surfaces."
    description: >
      These patches tweak or enhance security-related settings and features, such as enabling HTTPS-only mode,
      securing PDF handling, and reducing exposure to potentially dangerous web content.

  - name: "User Control"
    excerpt: "Unlocking advanced settings and configuration options for power users."
    description: >
      Focused on user empowerment, these patches provide access to advanced or hidden configuration options
      such as about:config or secret developer settings to allow deeper browser customization.

  - name: "User Experience"
    excerpt: "Improvements to usability and everyday browsing comfort."
    description: >
      These patches improve the overall browsing experience by blocking annoyances like autoplaying media
      and cookie banners, creating a smoother and less disruptive user journey.

  - name: "User Interface"
    excerpt: "Visual and interface customizations for branding and clarity."
    description: >
      UI-focused patches customize the appearance of the browser, introduce branding changes,
      and simplify or declutter interface elements to enhance user clarity and recognition.

patches:
  # Accessibility
  - file: "force-enable-zoom.patch"
    name: "Enable Universal Zoom"
    description: "Enables 'Zoom on all websites' by default"
    reason: "To improve accessibility by overriding website zoom restrictions."
    effect: "Users can zoom on all websites, even those trying to block zooming."
    category: "Accessibility"

  # Build System
  - file: "gecko-fix-125-compile.patch"
    name: "Fix v125 Compile Error"
    description: "Fixes compilation issue in Firefox v125."
    reason: "Addresses technical bug in the build process."
    effect: "Ensures successful compilation of the browser."
    category: "Build System"

  - file: "gecko-localize_maven.patch"
    name: "Remove Mozilla Maven Repositories"
    description: "Removes Mozilla repositories substitution and replaces them with local maven repositories."
    reason: "Reduces dependency on Mozilla infrastructure and improves build reproducibility."
    effect: "Provides more control over build dependencies with fewer connections to Mozilla servers."
    category: "Build System"

  - file: "allow-build-date-override.patch"
    name: "Allow overriding the build date"
    description: "Allows devs to override the build date."
    reason: "To ensure consistent build dates for all variants of IronFox."
    effect: "Ensures that the build dates are consistent for all variants of IronFox, in order to prevent unexpected version code issues."
    category: "Build System"

  # Dependency
  - file: "gecko-liberate.patch"
    name: "Remove Proprietary Libraries (Gecko)"
    description: "Patches out proprietary and tracking libraries from Gecko (and replaces them with suitable alternatives, such as microG, if available)."
    reason: "To remove unnecessary tracking libraries and dependencies on proprietary services."
    effect: "Improves privacy and protects the freedom of users."
    category: "Dependency"

  # Privacy
  - file: "fenix-disable-telemetry.patch"
    name: "Disable Telemetry (Fenix)"
    description: "Disables data collection and submission mechanisms within Firefox for Android."
    reason: "To prevent any usage data, diagnostics, or technical metrics from being sent to Mozilla or third parties."
    effect: "Improves user privacy by preventing the collection and transmission of telemetry data."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "gecko-disable-telemetry.patch"
    name: "Disable Telemetry (Gecko)"
    description: "Disables data collection and submission mechanisms within Gecko."
    reason: "To prevent any usage data, diagnostics, or technical metrics from being sent to Mozilla or third parties."
    effect: "Improves user privacy by preventing the collection and transmission of telemetry data."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "fenix-disable-crash-reporting.patch"
    name: "Disable Crash Reporting (Fenix)"
    description: "Disables the collection and submission of crash reports within Firefox for Android."
    reason: "To prevent submitting personal and/or sensitive data to Mozilla."
    effect: "Improves user privacy by preventing the collection and transmission of crash reports."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "gecko-disable-crash-reporting.patch"
    name: "Disable Crash Reporting (Gecko)"
    description: "Disables the collection and submission of crash reports within Gecko."
    reason: "To prevent submitting personal and/or sensitive data to Mozilla."
    effect: "Improves user privacy by preventing the collection and transmission of crash reports."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "fenix-disable-nimbus.patch"
    name: "Disable Nimbus Experimentation (Fenix)"
    description: "Prevents A/B testing and remote configuration of settings via Nimbus within Firefox for Android."
    reason: "To reduce data collection and remove Mozilla's ability to remotely change browser settings."
    effect: "Ensures user configurations remain consistent and are controlled locally."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "gecko-disable-nimbus.patch"
    name: "Disable Nimbus Experimentation (Gecko)"
    description: "Prevents A/B testing and remote configuration of settings via Nimbus within Gecko."
    reason: "To reduce data collection and remove Mozilla's ability to remotely change browser settings."
    effect: "Ensures user configurations remain consistent and are controlled locally."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "configure-doh.patch"
    name: "Configure DNS over HTTPS"
    description: |
      Adds custom configuration for DNS over HTTPS, including more DNS providers and max DoH protection level.

      Currently, the following DNS providers have been added :

        - Quad9
        - AdGuard Standard
        - AdGuard Unfiltered
        - AdGuard Family
        - DNS0 Zero
        - DNS0 Standard
        - DNS0 Kids
        - Mullvad Base
        - Mullvad Unfiltered
        - Mullvad Family
        - Mullvad Extended
        - Mullvad All
        - Wikimedia

      Quad9 is used by default.
    reason: "To add support for multiple secure DNS providers in the UI settings."
    effect: "Improves DNS privacy with carefully selected DoH providers."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-autocomplete.patch"
    name: "Disable Autocomplete"
    description: "Disables form autocomplete by default."
    reason: "To prevent automatic form filling with previously entered data."
    effect: "Reduces risk of exposing sensitive information on shared devices."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-autofill.patch"
    name: "Disable Password Manager"
    description: |
      Disables password manager and autofill by default. Using the built-in
      password manager in a browser is discouraged. Prefer using external, more secure
      password managers like Bitwarden.
    reason: "To prevent automatic storage of sensitive credentials in the browser."
    effect: |
      Reduces risk of credential exposure.
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-doh-canary.patch"
    name: "Disable DoH Canary Requests"
    description: "Disables DNS over HTTPS canary requests."
    reason: "To prevent unnecessary network connections to check DoH compatibility."
    effect: "Reduces unwanted network activity."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-firefox-suggest.patch"
    name: "Disable Firefox Suggest"
    description: "Disables Firefox Suggest feature."
    reason: "To remove sponsored suggestions and prevent sending address bar data to Mozilla."
    effect: "Cleaner, more private address bar experience without suggestions."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-trending-search-suggestions.patch"
    name: "Disable Trending Search Suggestions"
    description: "Disables trending search suggestions by default."
    reason: "To reduce unwanted network activity and limit third-party services."
    effect: "Improves privacy by reducing data shared with Mozilla."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-geoip.patch"
    name: "Disable Mozilla's GeoIP/Region Service"
    description: "Disables Mozilla's GeoIP/Region Service."
    reason: "To prevent Firefox from monitoring the user's region/general location."
    effect: "Reduces unwanted network activity and improves the privacy of users."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-link-sharing.patch"
    name: "Disable 'Sent from Firefox' Link Sharing"
    description: "Disables the 'Sent from Firefox' footer/link sharing feature."
    reason: "To prevent automatic inclusion of Firefox branding in shared links."
    effect: "Improves privacy by not disclosing browser information when sharing links."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-contile.patch"
    name: "Disable Contile"
    description: "Disables integration with Mozilla's Contile service (sponsored tiles) - https://mozilla-services.github.io/contile/."
    reason: "To remove unwanted advertising and unnecessary third-party services."
    effect: "Cleaner interface without promotional content."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-mars.patch"
    name: "Disable MARS (Mozilla Ad Routing Service)"
    description: "Disables integration with the Mozilla Ad Routing Service (MARS) - https://ads.mozilla.org/assets/docs/openapi/mars-api.html."
    reason: "To remove unwanted advertising and unnecessary third-party services."
    effect: "Cleaner interface without promotional content."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-pocket.patch"
    name: "Disable Pocket"
    description: "Disables integration with Pocket"
    reason: "To remove unnecessary third-party services and sponsored content."
    effect: "Cleaner interface without promotional content or third-party integrations."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-search-suggestions.patch"
    name: "Disable Search Suggestions"
    description: "Disables search suggestions by default."
    reason: "To prevent sending partial search terms to search providers."
    effect: "Improves privacy by reducing data shared with search engines."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "disable-sync-by-default.patch"
    name: "Disable Firefox Sync"
    description: "Disables Firefox Sync by default."
    reason: "To prevent automatic sync to Mozilla servers."
    effect: "No data is synchronized with Mozilla unless explicitly enabled by user."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "fenix-liberate.patch"
    name: "Remove Proprietary Libraries (Fenix)"
    description: "Patches out proprietary and tracking libraries from Fenix (and replaces them with suitable alternatives, such as microG, if available)."
    reason: "To remove unnecessary tracking libraries and dependencies on proprietary services."
    effect: "Improves privacy and protects the freedom of users."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "install-ublock.patch"
    name: "Auto-install uBlock Origin"
    description: "Installs uBlock Origin on first browser install and allows it to run in private tabs by default."
    reason: "To ensure content blocking is available from first launch."
    effect: "Users get content blocking protection without manual installation."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "librewolf-rs-blocker.patch"
    name: "Block Remote Settings"
    description: "Restricts Remote Settings to only download specific collections specified in preferences."
    reason: "To prevent the download/use of unnecessary and undesired Remote Settings from Mozilla (ex. for experimentation)."
    effect: "Network activity is further limited, less data is shared with Mozilla, and the user is put in control of what specifically they want to download from Remote Settings."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "restrict-mozaddonmanager.patch"
    name: "Restrict mozAddonManager"
    description: "Prevents addons.mozilla.org from being able to query a list of the user's installed add-ons, and removes its ability to enable and uninstall add-ons."
    reason: "To prevent fingerprinting and reduce attack surface."
    effect: "Allows users to install add-ons from addons.mozilla.org (via the mozAddonManager API), while reducing the amount of information shared with Mozilla and limiting the API's capabilities."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "sanitize-on-exit.patch"
    name: "Sanitize on Exit"
    description: "Clears browsing data on exit by default"
    reason: "Ensures privacy between browser sessions"
    effect: "Automatically clears tabs, history, cache, and download list when browser closes"
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "search-engines.patch"
    name: "Custom Search Engines"
    description: "Adds custom privacy-focused search engines."
    reason: "To provide alternatives to tracking-heavy default search engines."
    effect: "Users can easily use privacy-respecting search engines."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "strict_etp.patch"
    name: "Enable Strict ETP"
    description: "Sets Enhanced Tracking Protection to Strict mode by default."
    reason: "To provide stronger protection against trackers without user configuration."
    effect: "Blocks more trackers and fingerprinting scripts out of the box."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "tor-spoof-english.patch"
    name: "Support Locale Spoofing"
    description: "Enables option to spoof locale to 'en-US'."
    reason: "To reduce fingerprinting via browser language settings."
    effect: "Improves anonymity by presenting a common locale regardless of system settings."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "ublock-assets.patch"
    name: "Enhanced uBlock Configuration"
    description: "Sets uBlock Origin to use custom/enhanced config by default."
    reason: "To provide stronger out-of-box content blocking."
    effect: "Better ad and tracker blocking with optimized filter lists."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "remove-webcompat-reporter.patch"
    name: "Remove Web Compatibility Reporter"
    description: "Removes the Web Compatibility Reporter and associated menu items for reporting site issues to Mozilla."
    reason: "To eliminate external reporting dependencies and declutter the user interface."
    effect: "Simplifies the browser UI and prevents telemetry or issue reports from being sent to Mozilla."
    category: "Privacy"

  - file: "enable-light-mode-by-default.patch"
    name: "Enable Light Mode"
    description: "Enables light mode by default to prevent fingerprinting."
    reason: "To prevent fingerprinting based on user's theme preferences."
    effect: "Browser uses light theme out of the box."
    category: "Privacy"
  
  - file: "include-fonts.patch"
    name: "Include Fonts"
    description: "Includes fonts at build-time."
    reason: "To improve compatibility and ensure users have a common set of fonts."
    effect: "Provides stronger fingerprinting protection."
    category: "Privacy"

  # Security
  - file: "certificate-pinning.patch"
    name: "Certificate Pinning"
    description: |
      Updates and expands/improves upon Mozilla's built-in certificate pinning.
    reason: "To protect against MITM attacks by restricting which certificate authorities can issue valid certificates for included websites. Example of a real-world attack that this protects against: https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2011/08/29/fraudulent-google-com-certificate/"
    effect: "Users are provided with a significantly more secure browsing experience and a better peace of mind."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "disable-accessibility-services-by-default.patch"
    name: "Disable Accessibility Services"
    description: "Disables Accessibility Services by default."
    reason: "To prevent apps from monitoring users without consent."
    effect: "Prevents apps from monitoring users without permission, and improves performance as a bonus."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "disable-hls.patch"
    name: "Disable HLS"
    description: "Disables HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)"
    reason: "To address privacy and security concerns due to the use of an external ExoPlayer library. See here for more details: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser/-/issues/29859"
    effect: "Improves privacy and security for users and decreases the browser's reliance on external libraries."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "disable-shipped-domains.patch"
    name: "Disable Shipped Domains"
    description: "Disables pre-shipped domain list."
    reason: "To address security concerns from outdated domain lists."
    effect: "Prevents potential security issues and removes annoying domain suggestions."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "harden-pdfjs.patch"
    name: "Harden PDF.js"
    description: "Hardens Firefox's built-in PDF Viewer (PDF.js)."
    reason: "To reduce attack surface and protect users from various attacks, with changes inspired by GrapheneOS's PDF Viewer: https://github.com/GrapheneOS/PdfViewer."
    effect: "Users are provided with a more secure PDF viewing experience, while still enjoying it from the comfort of their browser."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "https_only.patch"
    name: "Enable HTTPS-Only Mode"
    description: "Enables HTTPS-only mode by default."
    reason: "To ensure encrypted connections whenever possible."
    effect: "Improves security by preventing unencrypted HTTP connections."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "prevent-extensions-from-changing-browser-settings.patch"
    name: "Prevent Extensions From Changing Browser Settings"
    description: "Prevents extensions from changing various browser settings."
    reason: "To prevent extensions from making unauthorized changes to browser settings."
    effect: "Ensures browser settings aren't changed without explicit user consent."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "remote-debugging.patch"
    name: "Hide Remote Debugging UI"
    description: "Hides the UI setting for Remote Debugging."
    reason: "To force remote debugging to reset per-session for security reasons."
    effect: "Prevents users from accidentally leaving remote debugging enabled."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "remove-autoconfig-dependency.patch"
    name: "Remove the Mozilla AutoConfig build dependency"
    description: "Removes Mozilla's AutoConfig functionality in Firefox (also known as Mission Control Desktop, debuted in Netscape Communicator 4.5... https://www.internetnews.com/enterprise/netscape-unveils-enterprise-management-tools/)."
    reason: "To unbreak builds with the '--disable-pref-extensions' argument (which removes this functionality)."
    effect: "Reduces attack surface and legacy code."
    category: "Security"

  - file: "domain-highlighting-and-alignment.patch"
    name: "Add domain highlighting and alignment"
    description: "Adds domain highlighting and alignment in the toolbar."
    reason: "Helps users more easily identify the actual domain in the URL bar, which improves phishing detection."
    effect: "The registrable domain (eTLD+1) is highlighted, and the URL bar scrolls to the end of the domain name."
    category: "Security"

  # User Control
  - file: "enable-secret-settings.patch"
    name: "Enable Secret Settings"
    description: "Ensures users can toggle certain 'secret' settings if desired."
    reason: "To provide access to hidden configuration options."
    effect: "Advanced users can access experimental or hidden features."
    category: "User Control"

  # User Experience
  - file: "block-autoplay-by-default.patch"
    name: "Block Media Autoplay"
    description: "Blocks autoplay of media by default."
    reason: "To prevent unwanted audio/video playback on websites."
    effect: "Improves user experience and reduces bandwidth usage."
    category: "User Experience"

  - file: "block-cookie-banners.patch"
    name: "Block Cookie Banners"
    description: "Blocks cookie consent banners by default."
    reason: "To improve browsing experience by removing annoying consent popups."
    effect: "Cleaner websites without cookie banners while maintaining privacy protection."
    category: "User Experience"

  - file: "disable-default-browser-engagement-prompts.patch"
    name: "Disable Default Browser Prompts"
    description: "Disables prompts encouraging users to set the browser as the system default or engage with promotional features."
    reason: "To eliminate unnecessary engagement messages that may interrupt user workflows."
    effect: "Reduces distractions by suppressing default browser prompts and promotional nudges."
    category: "User Experience"

  - file: "rs-dumps.patch"
    name: "Remote Settings Dumps"
    description: "Includes more Remote Settings Dumps locally (like desktop Firefox) and allows us to add our own custom dumps."
    reason: "Including more Remote Settings Dumps locally ensures that the content is always available for users on the first launch after installing IronFox, and it saves bandwidth by avoiding the need to initially download the entire dumps remotely. This patch also allows us to add our own custom Remote Settings dumps, so that we can further improve the user experience (ex. with our fingerprinting protection overrides)."
    effect: "Ensures users are ready to browse and explore out of the box, and can take advantage of our added lists/features."
    category: "User Experience"

  - file: "ironfox-fingerprinting-protection-overrides.patch"
    name: "IronFox Fingerprinting Protection (FPP) Overrides"
    description: "Adds support for an internal list that disables specific fingerprinting protections as needed on a per-site basis."
    reason: "To reduce website breakage for end-users. Setting the overrides this way specifically also avoids us needing to use the 'privacy.fingerprintingProtection.granularOverrides' preference like we have in the past, allowing users to easily set their own overrides (via that preference) if needed."
    effect: "Provides users with a seamless browsing experience and allows them to benefit from our strong fingerprinting protection, minus the breakage and headaches."
    category: "User Experience"

  # User Interface
  - file: "branding.patch"
    name: "IronFox Branding"
    description: "Modifies the branding to IronFox."
    reason: "Creates distinct brand identity for the fork."
    effect: "Users can identify the fork as IronFox instead of Firefox."
    category: "User Interface"
  
  - file: "ironfox-home.patch"
    name: "IronFox Home"
    description: "Customizes the default homepage."
    reason: "Provides users with a cleaner browsing experience, and removes promotions of third party services."
    effect: "Users have a clean new tab page without predetermined site suggestions or other content."
    category: "User Interface"

  - file: "disable-cfrs.patch"
    name: "Disable Contextual Feature Recommendations"
    description: "Disables Contextual Feature Recommendations."
    reason: "To removes promotional suggestions for Firefox features."
    effect: "Cleaner interface without contextual prompts and recommendations."
    category: "User Interface"
  
  - file: "disable-recent-search-suggestions.patch"
    name: "Disable Recent Search Suggestions"
    description: "Disables recent search suggestions by default."
    reason: "To provide users with a cleaner, focused URL bar and browsing experience."
    effect: "Cleaner interface so that users can focus on where they want to go now, instead of where they went in the past."
    category: "User Interface"

  - file: "disable-microsurveys.patch"
    name: "Disable Mozilla Surveys"
    description: "Disables Mozilla Feedback Surveys (Microsurveys)."
    reason: "To prevent interruptions from survey prompts."
    effect: "Improves user experience by removing survey notifications."
    category: "User Interface"
  
  - file: "expose-aboutconfig.patch"
    name: "Expose the 'about:config'"
    description: "Exposes the 'about:config' in 'about:about' alongside other internal 'about' pages."
    reason: "To provide users with easier access to advanced configuration options."
    effect: "Users can access the 'about:config' easier to customize advanced Firefox settings not available in the regular settings menu."
    category: "User Interface"

  - file: "global-privacy-control.patch"
    name: "Hide Global Privacy Control (GPC) UI"
    description: "Hides the UI setting for Global Privacy Control."
    reason: |
      To prevent users from easily/unnecessarily disabling GPC, as its status can aid fingerprinting, thus harming privacy.
    effect: "GPC is still enabled by default and can be controlled by advanced users from the about:config, this just helps clean up the UI and prevents unsuspecting users from doing more harm than good."
    category: "User Interface"
  
  - file: "safe-browsing.patch"
    name: "Safe Browsing UI"
    description: "Adds a UI setting to toggle Safe Browsing."
    reason: |
      To improve transparency and usability, so that users can enable or disable Safe Browsing as needed to suit their personal preference.
    effect: "Users can now seamlessly enable or disable Safe Browsing without needing to dive into advanced configuration options."
    category: "User Interface"
  
  - file: "ironfox-content-settings.patch"
    name: "IronFox Content Settings"
    description: "Adds IronFox-specific UI content settings, which can be found under `Site settings`."
    reason: |
      To allow users to easily control settings related to the content/hardening of websites.
    effect: "Users can choose what compromises they're comfortable with and tailor the browsing experience to meet their needs, directly from the UI."
    category: "User Interface"

  - file: "js-settings.patch"
    name: "JavaScript Settings"
    description: "Adds IronFox-specific UI settings for controlling JavaScript, JavaScript Just-in-time Compilation (JIT), and WebAssembly (WASM)."
    reason: |
      To allow users to easily enable/disable these features globally.
    effect: "Users can conveniently enable/disable these features as needed to meet their needs, without needing to dig into advanced settings/the about:config."
    category: "User Interface"