In the latest version (version 48.0) of the Mozilla Firefox web browser, they have improved some of the already present security settings. Now Firefox is able to block malicious and dangerous downloads as well as some of the unwanted and uncommon software. Firefox does not work like an antivirus when blocking such dangerous downloads that could harm your computer. Unlike an antivirus product that would simply block the connection to the server from where malicious files are being downloaded, Firefox lets you download the file, but then it blocks it. Additionally, a yellow or red exclamation mark is displayed over the download button in the Firefox toolbar. And it does not let you open that dangerous download and the only options it gives you is to delete that file.
However, if you know for sure that the downloaded files are coming from a safe source, then perhaps you may want to toggle off the blocking of dangerous and unwanted downloads in Firefox for a short duration. Here is how you can do it:
- Open Firefox web browser, type about:preferences in the address bar and press Enter.
- This will open Firefox preferences. Select Security section from the right side of the screen.
- Here you can un-select the options to Block dangerous downloads or Warn me about unwanted or uncommon software.
- This will basically turn off all of your Firefox downloads related security settings.
Even though you can turn off the blocking of malicious, dangerous and unwanted files from being downloaded in the Firefox browser, you should keep this setting switched on so that in the case you ever come across some unexpected malicious files, they get blocked and do not harm your computer. But at the same time, you should not depend entirely on the Firefox security settings as a protection from malware – instead, you should also install a good antivirus product for all around protection from malicious programs.