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Mozilla Firefox Group Policy settings

397 settings · 7.9.1 · 8 Apr 2026

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Mozilla › Firefox › Preferences (Deprecated)

security.default_personal_cert

Computer and userIntune-readysecurity_default_personal_cert

Supported on Firefox 68 or later, Firefox 68 ESR or later

What it does

If this policy is enabled, the preference is locked to the value selected. If this policy is disabled, it has no effect. For a description of the preference, see: https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md#preferences.

What it writes

Hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key
Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences

Options

OptionTypeRegistry valueAllowed values
Preferences_security_default_personal_cert Drop-down list security.default_personal_cert
  • Ask Every TimeAsk Every Time
  • Select AutomaticallySelect Automatically

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

State
Apply to
Options used when Enabled

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences]
"security.default_personal_cert"="Ask Every Time"


PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: security.default_personal_cert
# Name: security_default_personal_cert
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences' -Name 'security.default_personal_cert' -PropertyType 'String' -Value 'Ask Every Time'
  • The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
  • Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
  • The generated payload is incomplete because one or more ADMX element values were not supplied: Preferences_security_default_personal_cert

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_firefox/security_default_personal_cert
Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: security.default_personal_cert
# Name: security_default_personal_cert
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences' -Name 'security.default_personal_cert' -Kind 'String' -Expected 'Ask Every Time'
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences\security.default_personal_cert') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: security.default_personal_cert
# Name: security_default_personal_cert
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences' -Name 'security.default_personal_cert' -PropertyType 'String' -Value 'Ask Every Time'

History 85 retained releases

  1. 6.1028 Apr 2025
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  2. 6.69 Jan 2025
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  3. 6.526 Nov 2024
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  4. 6.011 Jul 2024
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  5. 4.126 Jun 2023
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  6. 4.418 Oct 2022
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  7. 3.102 Jun 2022
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  8. 3.79 Mar 2022
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  9. 3.48 Dec 2021
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  10. 2.1019 Apr 2021
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  11. 2.823 Feb 2021
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  12. 2.322 Sep 2020
    • Moved Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences[added: (Deprecated)]
  13. 2.011 Jul 2020
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  14. 1.174 Jun 2020
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  15. 1.113 Dec 2019
    • Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
  16. 1.1023 Oct 2019
    • Description … the value selected. If this policy is disabled, it has no effect.[added: For a description of the preference, see: https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md#preferences.]
      Whole description, marked

      If this policy is enabled, the preference is locked to the value selected. If this policy is disabled, it has no effect.[added: For a description of the preference, see: https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md#preferences.]

  17. 1.93 Sep 2019
    • Internal name security[removed: .][added: _]default_personal_certGroup Policy objects set from older templates keep the old name until they are edited again.
    Its earlier name: security.default_personal_cert

61 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name
security_default_personal_cert
Namespace
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox
Template file
firefox.admx
Release
Mozilla Firefox 7.9.1 · file set a735e5407dca0f19…
Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.security_default_personal_cert)" explainText="$(string.Preferences_Enum_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Preferences" name="security_default_personal_cert" presentation="$(presentation.Preferences_security_default_personal_cert)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Preferences" />
      <supportedOn ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF68" />
      <elements>
        <enum id="Preferences_security_default_personal_cert" valueName="security.default_personal_cert">
          <item displayName="$(string.Preferences_security_default_personal_cert_Ask_Every_Time)">
            <value>
              <string>Ask Every Time</string>
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.Preferences_security_default_personal_cert_Select_Automatically)">
            <value>
              <string>Select Automatically</string>
            </value>
          </item>
        </enum>
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="Preferences_security_default_personal_cert" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <dropdownList refId="Preferences_security_default_personal_cert" />
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Preferences
<category displayName="$(string.Preferences_group)" name="Preferences" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF68
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF68)" name="SUPPORTED_FF68" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:Preferences
<category displayName="$(string.Preferences_group)" name="Preferences" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:Preferences_group">Preferences (Deprecated)</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox">Firefox</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF68
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF68)" name="SUPPORTED_FF68" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF68">Firefox 68 or later, Firefox 68 ESR or later</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies:mozilla">Mozilla</string></strings>
ChangeIntel

An IT change radar: releases, security, known issues, retirements, documentation changes, and service status from public sources. Every item links to supporting evidence; dates and statuses can change after they are read.

Sources read 19 Oct 22:29 UTC · 258 of 260 readable · 256 fully read · documentation 417/444 current