Good Bear 1.0 Released: Firefox-Based Browser with Isolated Russian PKI Trust Container

Good Bear 1.0 is a Russian-language browser built on Firefox 156.0 that provides an isolated container for handling Russian PKI certificates without mixing trust contexts or user data with the standard browsing session. The release includes .deb packages for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS amd64 and Windows x64 installers, using Mozilla Public License 2.0 and reproducible build processes from pinned Firefox sources. Instead of globally importing root certificates, the browser performs secondary chain validation only inside a dedicated userContextId container with strict OriginAttributes isolation for caches, storage, and connections. Password autofill and sensitive session data are disabled in the container when separation cannot be guaranteed, and POST requests trigger explicit user choice before reopening in the isolated context. The interface shows both a persistent container marker and a separate RU indicator only when Russian PKI is actively used, along with detailed security panels explaining the trust source. Updates, crash reporting, and automatic MAR mechanisms are intentionally omitted to avoid creating unverified trust chains for the distribution itself.

HabrTranslated from Russian

Read at source

Good Bear 1.0 has been released as a Firefox-based browser that isolates trust for the Russian PKI infrastructure. Built on Firefox 156.0, the browser ships only in Russian and provides two official distributions: a .deb package for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS amd64 and an installer for Windows x64.

The core feature is a dedicated container that uses Firefox’s native userContextId and OriginAttributes mechanisms. Ordinary HTTPS sites continue to use the standard Firefox trust store. When certificate validation fails, the browser may perform a narrow secondary check against a pinned Russian root. Successful validation causes the address to reopen inside the isolated container rather than continuing in the default context.

POST, PUT, and PATCH requests never replay automatically; the user must explicitly choose to open only the URL or return. Previously assigned addresses retain their container mapping, but the mapping never silently extends to subdomains. A dedicated transition page appears when a site previously viewed under standard trust now requires the Russian PKI chain.

The container boundary protects cookies, local storage, cache, HTTP authentication, client certificates, and connection reuse. Password storage and autofill are disabled inside the Russian PKI container. Sub-resources using the Russian chain are blocked from loading into ordinary pages, and ordinary pages opened inside the container remain isolated.

The interface displays two independent indicators: a permanent neutral container marker and a separate RU badge that appears only when the Russian PKI chain is active. A security information panel shows the hostname, end-entity certificate, issuer, root, and trust source, with a note that the root is permitted solely inside the container.

Settings include a toggle for Russian PKI support, a list of assigned addresses, and controls to remove individual mappings or clear the list. Disabling the feature removes all Russian PKI behavior and restores standard Firefox validation everywhere.

Good Bear 1.0 deliberately excludes GOST algorithms, global root import, automatic updates, and support for additional platforms. The project is distributed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 with publicly available patched sources, SBOM in CycloneDX format, and SHA-256 checksums. No affiliation is claimed with Mozilla, Russian government agencies, or any official certification body.

Meridian digestThe week's most consequential security stories, distilled into one briefing.See the digest

More in Other

Mail.ru Reduces Lifetime 1TB Cloud Storage Promo to Standard 8GB Quota for Select Users
Kimi K3 Open Model Surpasses Closed AI Leaders with Million-Token Context and 896 Experts
Innostage Completes Functional Testing of PT NGFW 1.10.3 Across 156 Criteria