Configure Chromium based Browser Extensions

Owned by Lars Dalgaard-Madsen (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 21, 2021
2 min read

When defining Web applications. You first have to ensure that the Agents are configured to measure these.



There are two options for making these measurements available. either through Agent configuration. This generates some Local Machine policy. Or through local or Domain User policy.



You can not have both User and Machine policies. Browser only applies Machine policies. If Just on Machine policy is defined. This is the default in both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge Chromium. Therefore if you have one machine policy. For the browsers. No User policy will work.

Extension types

There are two different Extensions type for these measurements.

  1. leifiaolndnnmnkhmhibkejddgcfbfjf

  2. gelgkjhdkdehhjeokbbkdplgkmhffnmc

Info:

1: Totally silent

2: Shows measured time. on extension Icon.



Configure through Agent configuration

When configuring from the Agent configuration page. You should be aware of the two options.

Network Report

Enable Chrome/Edge Extension as Local Machine Policy (Can also be enabled as User Machine Policy using Group Policy)

User Interface

Enable Chrome Extension Details

When only selecting Network Report. The Agent will install Type 1 of Extension (Silent).

If you also chose User-interface. The Agent will install Type 2 of Extension (With info). 

When you select this option. The agent will generate some Browser policies. And some references to the messaging module. These settings are stored as Local machine policy and settings.



You might have to whitelist our chromium extensions for them to work. This can be done by the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallWhitelist.

  • Add a new String value to ExtensionInstallWhitelist. The name of the value is a number of the whitelisted extension (the numbers should be sequential - 1, 2, 3, etc.). The value data should coincide with the extension id.

  • ID's:

    • leifiaolndnnmnkhmhibkejddgcfbfjf

    • gelgkjhdkdehhjeokbbkdplgkmhffnmc

You might also need to whitelist NativeMessaging for the extensions:



Configure through User Policy

Remember to download the corresponding policy templates. For both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge chromium. And import these, for access to the correct policy options, for the browsers.



When configuring as a User policy. You need to set the following policy options:

Google Chrome

Extension:

User Configuration → Policies → Administrative Templates → Google → Google Chrome → Extensions → Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions

Insert the following entry:

"Type of Extension (1 or 2)";https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

Ex.

install the silent extension.

leifiaolndnnmnkhmhibkejddgcfbfjf;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx



The connector between Browser and Performanceguard Agent (Native messaging)

Currently, there is no option for setting default values for Native messaging. So you have to create this registry Manually.

Create a registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.capasystems.performance

Where you set the default value to:

C:\Program Files\PerformanceGuard\Agent\chromeHost\com.capasystems.performance.json



Microsoft Edge Chromium

Extension:

User Configuration → Policies → Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge → Extensions → Control which extensions are installed silently

Insert the following entry:

"Type of Extension (1 or 2)";https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

Ex.

install the silent extension.

leifiaolndnnmnkhmhibkejddgcfbfjf;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

The connector between Browser and Performanceguard Agent (Native messaging)

Currently, there is no option for setting default values for Native messaging. So you have to create this registry Manually. Microsoft Edge uses the Native messaging list from Google Chrome. If this is not specified in Edge.

Create a registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.capasystems.performance

Where you set the default value to:

C:\Program Files\PerformanceGuard\Agent\chromeHost\com.capasystems.performance.json



Verification of Settings

Look in the registry on the client computer for the following keys,  and check their values according to your configuration.

When using Agent configuration:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ExtensionInstallForcelist
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.capasystems.performance

When using User policy:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ExtensionInstallForcelist
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.capasystems.performance

Ex. policy definition with browser locked down



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