Autoupdate in Electron should be blocked when params.allowInternetAccess is false and in Windows 7

[Jaifroid]

A user has reported a regression with the Electron app's online access control, and an annoyance especially for Windows 7 users.

There are two issues, but closely related. The first is that an autoupdate check is reportedly launched when the app starts up, and this check ignores the setting of params.allowInternetAccess. EDIT: this is not actually the case theoretically, autoupdates should be blocked when that is unchecked.

The second issue is that the Win7 app reportedly self-updates to an incorrect version (probably the Win11 version). Autoupdates should be blocked in Win7, because the Electron updater will automatically grab the latest Win11 executable. It is unaware that it is either running in a 32bit environment or that it is running the version especially compiled for Win7. Electron no longer supports Win7, but as a courtesy to users, we still compile a specific Win7 executable which is 32-bit compatible with an older version of Electron, as well as a very old WinXP exec based on NW.js.

[Jaifroid]

Hmm, strange, this code should prevent Electron autoupdate from running if params.allowInternetAccess is false:

https://github.com/kiwix/kiwix-js-pwa/blob/main/www/js/app.js#L996

As this blocks the checkUpdateServer() function, it should not be possible for it to run.

The only situation where it would run is when the app is first installed, since params.allowInternetAccess is true by default. Blocking it in Win7 should do the job.

[Jaifroid]

OK, strange, autoupdates are also already blocked in Win7, here:

https://github.com/kiwix/kiwix-js-pwa/blob/main/www/js/app.js#L1010

[Jaifroid]

So, this needs testing in a Win7 VM, because it appears the code is already correct.

[Jaifroid]

So, what I believe is happening is that the user who reported this was not aware that allowing Internet access in order to open the library also lifts the block on Electron checking servers for an update and subsequently auto-updating. I think this is a misunderstanding. The app works as designed, and even warns the user next to the relevant setting that this will check for updates (see image below).

[Jaifroid]

OK, it appears that the 32bit Win7 version was not being built with the correct Electron version, and because of this, the wrong executable was being provided, probably incompatible with Win7. In any case, as the archive was built with a modern Electron, albeit 32bit, the detection algorithm that blocks updates on 32bit Win7 builds did not correctly detect the app's type and architecture. Hence, Electron attempted to update itself to the latest 64bit build, which of course fails on 32bit systems.

While we can't prevent autoupdates server-side, because the code runs locally, anyone installing the latest version of this should find that the autoupdate code will be blocked. It won't be possible to test this fully until the next update.