Mozilla releases second Firefox 131 security update

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 14, 2024
Updated • Oct 15, 2024
Firefox
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Mozilla plans to release the third point update for Firefox 131 later today. It is the second security related update for Firefox 131. Just last week, Mozilla released Firefox 131.0.2, a critical security update for the browser to address a vulnerability that is exploited in the wild.

Firefox 131.0.3 includes security patches but also non-security changes. As always, Mozilla is keeping the security changes under wraps until after the official release.

The update patches a single security issue rated high affecting the selection node cache. Unlike Firefox 103.0.2's issue, this one is not exploited in the wild.

Firefox 131.0.3 - the non-security changes

Firefox 131 security update

Mozilla lists four non-security issues.

Avast and AVG crash on Windows

The first addresses a crash on Windows that affects users of Avast or AVG software. Mozilla says that the crash occurs when users visit "certain sites" on Windows devices with Avast or AVG software running.

Engineers have fixed the issue in Firefox 131 and newer, and Firefox 128 ESR. The issue won't get fixed for Firefox 115 ESR according to the bug report.

Enhanced Tracking Protection breaks functionality of some bank websites

"Bill Pay" functionality on several bank websites has been broken for some Firefox users after the upgrade or installation of Firefox 131.

The bug report lists small and large bank websites, including Bank of America, TD Bank, and PNC Bank.

Mozilla's investigation concluded that the issue was related to CHIPS -- Cookies Having Independent Partitioned State -- which launched in Firefox 131.

Firefox ESR is not affected by this.

"List All Tabs" button can be moved

Some Firefox users who do not want the List all tabs button on their toolbar noticed that they could not remove the button.

Firefox 131.0.3 changes this.

YouTube rendering issue

Some VR180 and 360 videos would not render correctly on YouTube when viewed in Firefox. Affected videos showed a black screen or a blinking screen that was black. Some videos could be played when they were paused for 5 to 10 seconds, but not all.

Closing Words

The new version will be released in the next couple of hours. You may check for the new version by opening Menu > Help > About Firefox.

Since Firefox 131.0.3 is a security update first and foremost, it is advised to update the browser as soon as possible to protect it from potential attacks.  Firefox users affected by one of the issues have another reason to update as soon as possible.

Are you using Firefox? Did you notice any of the issues mentioned? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Summary
Mozilla releases second Firefox 131 security update
Article Name
Mozilla releases second Firefox 131 security update
Description
Mozilla will release a security update for Firefox later today. Here is what you need to know about it.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Dewey said on October 29, 2024 at 11:30 pm
    Reply

    October 29—Sorry to report otherwise, but recent Firefox ESR releases have most definitely broken my bank’s Bill Pay functionality. ( the version 115.xx Firefox ESR incremental updates on my Mac Mini running Mojave 10.14 ). My bank is a small regional bank . Example: When I attempt to use Zelle to move money , I get nowhere.

    I had to reactivate an older version of Safari in order to get Zelle to work thru my bank .

    Fix this Mozilla , please

    1. Tom Hawack said on October 30, 2024 at 11:24 am
      Reply

      @Dewey, that is definitely odd given ESRs don’t modify core functionality and settings.
      I presume that by “recent Firefox ESR releases” you mean both 115 ESR and 128 ESR branches.
      You may be right by asking Mozilla to fix the issue you encounter but, as always and especially when an issue has not been reported by a substantial number of users, the culprit may be elsewhere than in the incriminated code, application, software. As a last mean, a clean install often resolves the problem.

  2. TelV said on October 14, 2024 at 4:12 pm
    Reply

    Probably not related, but I had a hell of a time trying to access the Google Play Store to update FF on my Android 13 phone today. Each time I attempted to open the Play Store the message, “You haven’t set up purchase verification” appeared with no conceivable way to proceed to the Store without succumbing to the instruction to either tap “Use Password” or “Use Biometric Identification”.

    But I don’t use the phone to make purchases and I don’t see any point of being forced to add my credit card details to the infernal machine just so that Google Pay can be used which I’ve never used before either.

    Only after tapping the Google Play Store button six times and then exiting each time when it failed did Google eventually decide to allow access to the Store to check for updates, one of which was for Firefox.

    What a pain in the posterior Google is becoming!

    1. Annuh said on October 16, 2024 at 12:22 pm
      Reply

      You can long-press on the play store icon and choose my apps instead.

    2. ttjctb said on October 14, 2024 at 11:40 pm
      Reply

      i was able to bypass that, open any website app in your browser, click on the play icon to install the app, that open the play store without the purchase … message, and is possible to open the update apps option.

  3. zswq said on October 14, 2024 at 12:41 pm
    Reply

    As always, I’m on ESR (the 115 Legacy oldest-still-supported version), letting the rest of the world be the beta testers. I don’t understand why everyone isn’t doing the same, not just with FF, but with any-and-all software that allows you to stay on a earlier, more-stable version.

  4. Robert G. said on October 14, 2024 at 11:56 am
    Reply

    Thnaks very much Martin for this news. Have a good day !

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