What is the Passle Gateway extension used for?
It can be used for two purposes:
Creating Passle posts
When browsing the web, it allows users to create Passle posts - using a quote from and a link back to a particular web page for context. (It does this in the same way as the old Passle Button.)
Viewing the Passle Toolbar
When users are looking at a Passle post they have published, clicking the button will display the Passle Toolbar instead of the interface for writing a post.
The Toolbar displays stats to the user about their post (eg: how many views it has had, how many people have clicked through from LinkedIn etc). The Toolbar also it has links to allow the user to edit the post, repost the post etc. For more details see the article Using the Passle Gateway extension.
What is the difference between The Passle Button extension and the Passle Gateway extension?
- The Passle Button allows the user to create a Passle post only. It does not include the Passle Toolbar function.
- The Passle Gateway includes both functions (as given above).
The reason we created a new separate extension was because it requires an additional permission for the Toolbar. The Toolbar has been incorporated into the extension to avoid the use of third-party cookies.
Originally we had the toolbar functionality built into our pages via an iframe, without requiring a browser extension. However, because of the iframe, this solution relied on third-party cookies to detect whether the user is logged in or not. Most browsers are planning to stop allowing third-party cookies, and we are finding it increasingly common that our clients have policies that block them. So we made the decision to move the Toolbar functionality into the Passle Gateway browser extension. This means we can use a first-party cookie in order to authenticate the user, and avoid issues with third-party cookies altogether.
What permissions does the Passle Gateway ask for?
When a user installs the extension, it requests permission to access passle.net sites only.
The reason the extension needs permissions for passle.net sites is so that it can detect when the user is viewing Passle content. The extension then knows what to do when clicked (ie: it will show the Toolbar instead showing the interface for creating a post).
Currently there is an issue with Microsoft Edge. Despite the fact that the extension is only requesting access to passle.net sites, once installed it shows site access as 'On all sites. Installed in Chrome, this problem does not exist - it displays the permissions correctly. Our developers have logged this as an issue for investigation with the Microsoft Edge development team.
How should a user install the Passle Gateway extension?
The Passle Gateway extension can be installed from the following browser stores:
MS Edge Add-ons Store > https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/passle-gateway/ombenjafmmielckakbgnhlhipfoikagm
Chrome Web Store > https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/passle-gateway/gdnigfojhifmncejoghklpikpocdpoag
Mac App Store > https://apps.apple.com/us/app/passle-gateway/id6443623879
For step-by-step instructions on how to install the extension see our separate articles for Chrome, MS Edge or Safari. [Links to come - currently draft articles ]
What about security around the Passle Gateway extension?
The entire Passle platform has been pen tested by a third party (Red Team Partners) to ensure the new browser extensions are secure, as well as the rest of our application.
We carry out pen tests on the whole application annually.