HTTPS By Default feature doesn't have functional feature flags

[ShivanKaul]

Description

We shipped HTTPS By Default in 1.68 (PRs: main feature, strict mode and interstitial), but the feature flags don't actually wrap around the functionality, which means we can't roll the feature out or back via Griffin. Additionally, we want a flag around the non-default Strict mode, since that proved to be tricky from a state point-of-view.

These are the flags we want:

1. One flag for the overall HTTPS By Default feature: if it’s ON then we try to upgrade all websites to HTTPS by default (and use the exception list to not try certain websites) with a silent fallback to HTTP, and an optional Strict mode to show the interstitial if there’s a fallback. If this flag is OFF, we go back to old WebKit-controlled HTTPS upgrades. Default: ON.
2. Another flag that’s conditional on 1 being ON: only controls whether the user can select Strict mode or not. If this flag is OFF, the 3 way option (Standard, Strict, Disabled) becomes a boolean toggle i.e. no Strict mode possible. If a user enabled Strict mode, and then we disable it via Griffin, it should fall back to Standard mode but preserve the pref so when we enable it again they will automatically get Strict mode. Default: ON.

These should be accessible via brave://flags.

Steps to reproduce

1. Go to brave://flags
2. Check presence of flags above (exact names TBD)
3. Check behaviour

Actual result

1. Second flag doesn't exist
2. First flag is incomplete i.e. doesn't disable the feature

Expected result

See issue description.

To check if first flag is functioning as expected, you should see a 3-way toggle for HTTPS Upgrades in Settings: Standard (default), Strict, and Disabled which should function as expected. See #36408 for QA steps. http://http.badssl.com/ is an example of a site that will get an interstitial in Strict mode but nothing will happen if not Strict mode.

To check if second flag is functioning, the HTTPS Upgrades setting should be a boolean. You shouldn't see a Strict mode interstitial when an HTTPS upgrade fails. Test site: http://http.badssl.com/ should not get an interstitial.

Reproduces how often

Easily reproduced

Brave version

1.68. This needs to be uplifted.

Device/iOS version

Any

Affected browser versions

• latest AppStore
• latest TestFlight
• previous TestFlight

Reproducibility

• with Brave Shields disabled
• in the latest version of mobile Safari

Miscellaneous information

No response

[kjozwiak]

The above requires 1.68.145 or higher for 1.68.x verification 👍

[Uni-verse]

Verification PASSED on iPhone 12 running iOS 17.5.1 using version 1.68.1 (145)

Case: brave://flags#https-only-mode enabled (default mode)

• ensured that brave://flags#https-only-mode is set as enabled by default on a clean/new install
• ensured Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as Standard as the default

Example	Example

While both brave://flags#https-by-default & brave://flags#https-only-mode are enabled, went through the STR/Cases outlined via #36408 (comment) as per the following:

Test interstitial

Example	Example	Example

Test Upgrading

Example	Example	Example

Case - brave://flags#https-only-mode disabled

• disabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags after installing 1.71.29 Chromium: 128.0.6613.85
• restart the browser once the brave://flag has been changed
• once disabled, ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as a boolean toggle (enabled/disabled)
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that a interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed

Example	Example	Example	Example

Case - brave://flags#https-by-default disabled

• disabled brave://flags#https-by-default via brave://flags after installing 1.71.29 Chromium: 128.0.6613.85
• restart the browser once the brave://flag has been changed
• ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as a boolean toggle (enabled/disabled)
  • brave://flags#https-only-mode is also being disabled when brave://flags#https-by-default has been disabled
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that a interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed
• ensured that http://brave.com --> https://brave.com
• ensured that http://google.com --> https://google.com
• ensured that http://facebook.com --> https://m.facebook.com
• ensured that http://reddit.com --> https://reddit.com

Example	Example

Case - brave://flags#https-only-mode being disabled but user has Strict selected

• installed 1.71.29 Chromium: 128.0.6613.85
• set Upgrade Connections to HTTPS as Strict via Settings
• disabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags and restarted the browser
• ensured that the Upgrade Connections to HTTPS setting is now set as a boolean without Strict mode
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that the interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed
• enabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags and restarted the browser
• ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is now a drop down and Strict is being selected (users previous choice)
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that the interstitial page is being used/displayed

[kjozwiak]

Verification PASSED on iPad Air (3rd Gen) running iOS 17.6.1 via the following build(s):

Brave | 1.68.145 Chromium: 127.0.6533.120 (Official Build) stable (64-bit)
--- | ---
Revision | 86ed911e4b4765d7d8b5a700639d49cb5f1ecaa0
OS | iOS

Test Case #1 - brave://flags#https-only-mode enabled (default mode)

• ensured that brave://flags#https-only-mode is set as enabled by default on a clean/new install
• ensured Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as Standard as the default

Example	Example

While both brave://flags#https-by-default & brave://flags#https-only-mode are enabled, went through the STR/Cases outlined via #36408 (comment) as per the following:

Test interstitial

Example	Example	Example	Example	Example

Test upgrading

Example	Example	Example	Example	Example

Test Case #2 - brave://flags#https-only-mode disabled

• disabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags after installing 1.68.145 Chromium: 127.0.6533.120
• restart the browser once the brave://flag has been changed
• once disabled, ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as a boolean toggle (enabled/disabled)
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that a interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed

Example	Example	Example

Test Case #3 - brave://flags#https-by-default disabled

• disabled brave://flags#https-by-default via brave://flags after installing 1.68.145 Chromium: 127.0.6533.120
• restart the browser once the brave://flag has been changed
• ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is set as a boolean toggle (enabled/disabled)
  • brave://flags#https-only-mode is also being disabled when brave://flags#https-by-default has been disabled
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that a interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed
• ensured that http://brave.com --> https://brave.com
• ensured that http://google.com --> https://google.com
• ensured that http://facebook.com --> https://m.facebook.com
• ensured that http://reddit.com --> https://reddit.com

Example	Example	Example

Test Case #4 - brave://flags#https-only-mode being disabled but user has Strict selected

• installed 1.68.145 Chromium: 127.0.6533.120
• set Upgrade Connections to HTTPS as Strict via Settings
• disabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags and restarted the browser
• ensured that the Upgrade Connections to HTTPS setting is now set as a boolean without Strict mode
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that the interstitial page re: HTTP upgrade is NOT being displayed
• enabled brave://flags#https-only-mode via brave://flags and restarted the browser
• ensured that Upgrade Connections to HTTPS is now a drop down and Strict is being selected (users previous choice)
• visited http://http.badssl.com and ensured that the interstitial page is being used/displayed

Video of the above verification on iPad --> https://youtu.be/OpyddBk0zs8