Re: [sysapps/runtime] can user add another store apps?

Hi John,

On 03/27/2013 05:36 AM, John Lyle wrote:

> Hi Jonas,
> 
> In previous messages you have mentioned that the goal of the security
> model is that "users can always safely install any application from
> anywhere" (see attached).  I had assumed that one of the ways in which
> this would be achieved is by expecting people to use only a few
> trustworthy app stores.  In combination with sensible API design and
> permissioning, of course.
> 
> However, from this email it appears that any application can potentially
> act as a store, and that websites can too.  I therefore see quite a big
> gap in the current security model in how to ensure only trustworthy
> stores & apps are used.  Would you or Mounir be able to clarify a few
> more details about how Firefox OS manages to bridge this gap?  What
> constraints is the runtime expected to place on app store 'installation'?

In Firefox OS, we have 3 kind of apps: certified ones that only come
preinstalled, privileged ones that are signed and installed from a
trusted store, and "web" ones. Any web page or app can be a store that
provide apps of the 3rd kind, though they can't get access to all the
APIs. Privileged apps get access to more apis, and to some apis without
prompting the user compared to just "web" apps. Also, note that hosted
apps can't be privileged or certified.

You can check at
https://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/dom/apps/src/PermissionsTable.jsm
which api is available for each level or trustiness ("app" in this table
is what I called "web" here).

We currently only recognize the mozilla store as a source of privileged
apps, but it's only a matter of installing the right certificates on the
device if we want to add more trusted stores.

	Fabrice
-- 
Fabrice Desré
b2g team
Mozilla Corporation

Received on Wednesday, 27 March 2013 15:04:29 UTC