Chrome update leaves uBlock Origin users behind, with development to continue on Firefox

Users of uBlock Origin, one of the most popular content-blocking solutions on Chrome, have been warned that the extension should be removed or replaced. As Google moves to a new extensions platform, only a “pared-down” version will prevail.

Google is deprecating support for Manifest v2 (MV2), an older Chrome extension platform. It will be replaced by Manifest v3 (MV3), which prioritizes security and reliability over features and functionality.

With version 127, Google Chrome started warning users of uBlock Origin (uBO) and other MV2 extensions: “This extension may soon no longer be supported. Remove or replace it with similar extensions from the Chrome Web Store.”

However, there won’t be a complete alternative. uBlock Origin developer Raymond Hill said in an update that the popular Chrome extension will not have an MV3 version.

“The focus on reliability and efficiency in an MV3 environment meant having to sacrifice many features beyond those not possible within an MV3 framework,” Hill said.

The developer offers “a pared-down version of uBO,” the uBlock Origin Lite, which makes the “best effort at converting filter lists used by uBO into an MV3-compliant approach.”

About Google Chrome's undefinedThis extension may soon no longer be supportedundefined, see https://t.co/bUug1N9vL4 pic.twitter.com/aVQ3mhp3Vz

undefined R. Hill (@gorhill) August 2, 2024

The problem is that Chrome will no longer allow dynamic filtering and certain content-blocking scripts because extensions won't be able to run long-running tasks in the background. Powerful MV2 permissions like webRequest API allow monitoring and modifying every network request. Many filtering capabilities can’t be ported to MV3.

uBO will not be automatically replaced by the Lite version running on MV3.

“uBlock Origin Lite is too different from uBO for it to silently replace uBO – you will have to explicitly make a choice as to which extension should replace uBO according to your own prerogatives,” the developer said in an update.

“Ultimately, whether uBOL is an acceptable alternative to uBO is up to you. It's not a choice that will be made for you.”

Hill added, that the development of uBO will continue on “other browsers, which are not deprecating MV2, e.g. Firefox.”

Brave Browser also announced that it plans to continue to support some privacy-relevant MV2 extensions, specifically AdGuard, NoScript, uBlock Origin, and uMatrix. The transition to MV3 “will not weaken” Brave Shields, which block ads and trackers by default.

How long until uBO stops working?

MV2 extensions will continue working for a little while. According to the Google-provided MV2 support timeline, these extensions have already lost their Featured badge on the Chrome Web Store, and will be disabled “in the coming months.”

After that, “for a short time,” users will still be able to turn their Manifest V2 extensions back on.

“But over time, this toggle will go away as well,” Google said.

Google plans to complete the transition by the beginning of next year. Enterprises

using the ExtensionManifestV2Availability policy can keep using MV2 extensions without changes until June 2025.

Cybernews previously conducted an experiment revealing that even after the transition, threat actors will be able to create malicious extensions.

Ad and other content filtering is an important cybersecurity feature that protects users from malicious ads and tracking. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends using advertising blocking software because it reduces the risk of malicious ads or being redirected to malicious websites, enhances client-side performance and page loading, and reduces the risk of data collection by third parties.