Thunderbird check for new messages

Support
1

In Thunderbird’s account settings the check boxes “Check for new messages when starting”, “Check for new messages every … minutes” and “Download new messages automatically” are deactivated. Is this a Whonix security setting or a bug?

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2

I have observed the same behavior with Thunderbird 115.9 installed by default on Whonix.

/etc/thunderbird/pref/ has some custom defaults that impact Thunderbird functionality. Perhaps there is a setting that can be adjusted to not force such functionality and a disclaimer added to documentation that depending on use-case such might be desirable given certain constraints.

Thank you

3 
// Do not connect automatically.
pref("messenger.startup.action", 0);
4

That is not it. Some investigation finds the following in /etc/thunderbird/pref/40_thunderbird.js

// Original: https://gitlab.tails.boum.org/tails/tails/-/blob/stable/config/chroot_local-includes/usr/share/thunderbird/defaults/pref/autoconfig.js
// Loading the lock file unobfuscated: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Lock_Prefs
pref("general.config.filename", "thunderbird.cfg");

Which leads to /usr/lib/thunderbird/thunderbird.cfg. An excerpt is provided below.

lockPref("mail.server.server1.login_at_startup", false);
lockPref("mail.server.server1.login_at_startup", false);
lockPref("mail.server.server1.check_new_mail", false);

Any thoughts on removing (some of) the preference locks and making it a user-configurable setting with the implications loudly documented?

Thank you

1 Like
5

No.

But since this file was software forked from Tails’ implementation, you have the option to inquiry Tails’ support about it.