When you install an extension into Thunderbird, you may be presented with a message similar to this one:
This is an extension asking your permission to tap into Thunderbird’s inner framework (via APIs) to alter its behavior. These APIs might ask to access your configured mail accounts, your messages, your contacts and your calendar data or alter settings in your profile. If you don't see one of these messages that means the extension won't try to access any of your data or change any of your settings.
This article provides details about each of the messages, to help you understand the practical impact on your data and the behaviour of Thunderbird.
(You are also encouraged to check out Mozilla’s Tips for assessing the safety of an extension for further guidance on evaluating extensions. It refers to the Firefox add-on portal at addons.mozilla.org, but the article applies to addons.thunderbird.net as well)
Have full, unrestricted access to Thunderbird, and your computerThe extension is using an older technology and has full access to Thunderbird’s internal APIs and does not need to request individual permissions. Up to Thunderbird 68 almost every add-on had this unrestricted access without specifically asking for it. Add-ons request this permission, as long as the new permission based API system does not yet offer the functionality they need.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
Add-ons published to addons.thunderbird.net (ATN) are subject to human review. If you install extensions from other locations, you have to be sure that you can trust the source.
See your mail accounts and their foldersThis extension can list all mail accounts configured in your Thunderbird profile and all of their folders.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension can add, rename or delete a folder within one of your configured mail accounts.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension can read and modify all address books configured in your Thunderbird profile and all of their contacts.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension has access to the content of the message compose window while a new message is being created and can modify its appearance and all related information including the typed message, the recipient addresses, the subject and the attachments.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension can read all messages stored in Thunderbird. This also includes any related information like sender, recipient and attachments.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension can modify the content and the appearance of a message as it is displayed to you. The message is not permanently modified.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
This extension can delete your messages. If this extension also has permission to see your mail accounts and their folders, it can also move or copy your messages to other folders.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension can read the content of any web page you visit as well as data you enter into those web pages, such as usernames and passwords.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could read the content of web pages you visit in the specified domain, as well as data you enter into those web pages, such as usernames and passwords.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
Used in conjunction with the named domain message (above) when the extension is requesting access to five or more domains; the first three are listed and the other domain requests counted.
Access your data for “named site”The extension could read the content of any web pages you visit at the specified website, as well as any data you enter into those web pages, such as usernames and passwords.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
Used in conjunction with the named website message (above) when the extension is requesting access to five or more websites—the first three are listed and the other website requests counted.
Exchange messages with programs other than ThunderbirdThe extension could send messages to and receive them from a complementary native app on your computer.
The complementary app needs to be installed on your computer independently of the extension. This usually happens in one of two ways:
Please note that the Thunderbird Team has not vetted or reviewed the complementary app. You should approach the installation of the complementary app with the same caution you would apply when installing any third party software from the internet.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could do one or more of the following:
Extensions requesting this permission might offer enhanced features to clean up your browsing history.
The extension could clear any or all of:
The extension could retrieve data from the clipboard: The equivalent of "paste".
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could write data to the clipboard: The equivalent of “copy” or “cut”.
Extensions requesting this permission might add content to the clipboard so you can use it elsewhere in Thunderbird or on your computer.
Access IP address and hostname informationWhen you visit a website, you generally see or entered the hostname (e.g. amazon.com). A service called DNS transforms the hostname into an IP address, a number that identifies the device connecting to the network. This is also true for devices in your local work or home network. This permission enables the extension to transform hostnames into IP addresses.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could save a file from the web or one created in the extension using Thunderbird’s download manager. The extension could also access and update details of downloaded files stored in the download manager.
Note: The extension has to obey the settings in the download manager, putting you in control of where the files are saved.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could request that the application on your computer that handles files of a specific type opens a downloaded file. For example, if you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, the extension could request it to open file with ".docx".
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could obtain your location from your computer, GPS, the location associated with your IP address, or some other method.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could:
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could issue notifications through the standard notifications system offered by your computer’s operating systems.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could access software on your computer for generating and validating security keys and certificates using the PKCS #11 standard. (Note the extension cannot install the PKCS #11 software on your computer; you will be prompted to install the software separately.)
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could change privacy related settings controlling:
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could direct some or all of Thunderbird’s web traffic to another computer (a proxy) on the internet.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could obtain the URL, title, and icon from any tab.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could store an unlimited amount of data using Thunderbird’s data storage features.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
The extension could listen for the steps Thunderbird takes to navigate from a link to another page. The extension could then provide new features for the content on the page.
Extensions requesting this permission might:
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