VPN Card in NTP is not hidden when its group policy is disabled

[simonhong]

Description

VPN Card in NTP should respect VPN group policy

Steps to reproduce

1. Disable vpn group policy (ex, defaults write com.brave.Browser.development BraveVPNDisabled -bool true on macOS)
2. Launch Brave

Actual result

vpn card is shown

Expected result

vpn card is hidden

Reproduces how often

Easily reproduced

Brave version (brave://version info)

1.75.41 Chromium: 131.0.6778.85 (Official Build) nightly (arm64)

Channel information

• release (stable)
• beta
• nightly

Reproducibility

• with Brave Shields disabled
• with Brave Rewards disabled
• in the latest version of Chrome

Miscellaneous information

cc @rebron @brave/qa-team

[kjozwiak]

The above requires 1.73.98 or higher for 1.73.x verification 👍

[GeetaSarvadnya]

Verification PASSED on

Brave | 1.73.99 Chromium: 131.0.6778.108 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 273b36438521dd91cbab7a047e6d90deabf59d56
OS | Windows 10 Version 22H2 (Build 19045.5131)

Please see additional steps on how to add/remove templates: #26502

1. Installed .173.99
2. launched Brave
3. logged into VPN as a new user (example@mailinator)
4. enabled and disabled VPN
5. closed Brave
6. launched Local Group Policy Editor, and added an entry for Brave, per https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039248271-Group-Policy followed steps from #26502
7. launched Registry Editor with Admin rights, and added BraveVPNDisabled as a DWORD value to 1 via Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave
8. Relaunched brave and open brave://policies and ensured that BarveVPNDisabled is set to true
9. Confirmed Brave VPN card widget is not shown on NTP
10. Confirmed that VPN icon is not shown on the toolbar
11. Close the browser
12. launched Registry Editor with Admin rights, and added BraveVPNDisabled as a DWORD value to 0 via Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\BraveSoftware\Brave
13. Relaunched Brave and confirmed that Brave VPN card widget is shown on NTP
14. Confirmed that VPN icon is shown on the toolbar as expected
15. Open brave://policy/ and ensured that BarveVPNDisabled is set to false

step 4a	step 4b	step 6	step 7	step 8	step 9 and 10	step 12	step 13 and 14	step 15

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.73.99 Chromium: 131.0.6778.108 (Official Build) (arm64)
-- | --
Revision | 273b36438521dd91cbab7a047e6d90deabf59d56
OS | macOS Version 14.6.1 (Build 23G93)

1. Installed 1.73.99
2. launched Brave
3. completed onboarding
4. verified Brave VPN card widget is shown on NTP
5. clicked Already purchased Brave VPN? link in the VPN card widget
6. logged into VPN as an existing VPN user
7. opened a new tab
8. connected VPN via NTP VPN card widget
9. clicked Allow on Add VPN Configurations popup
10. verified VPN successfully connected in the VPN card widget
11. verified VPN successfully connected in the toolbar VPN icon
12. disconnected VPN via VPN card widget
13. quit Brave
14. opened terminal and ran the command defaults write com.brave.Browser.beta BraveVPNDisabled -bool true
15. relaunch Brave
16. confirmed Brave VPN card widget is hidden
17. confirmed Brave VPN icon in the toolbar hidden as well
18. opened brave://policy
19. confirmed BraveVPNDisabled under Policy name and value shown true
20. quit Brave
21. opened terminal and ran the command again defaults write com.brave.Browser.beta BraveVPNDisabled -bool false
22. launched Brave again
23. confirmed Brave VPN card widget is shown on the NTP
24. connected to VPN via card widget in the NTP
25. confirmed VPN is connected successfully both VPN button in the toolbar and VPN card widget

step 4	step 6	step 8	step 9	step 10-11	step 12	step 14	step 16 - 17	step 19	step 21	step 23	step 24

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.73.99 Chromium: 131.0.6778.108 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 273b36438521dd91cbab7a047e6d90deabf59d56
OS | Windows 11 Version 24H2 (Build 26100.2314)

1. Installed 1.73.99
2. launched Brave
3. completed onboarding
4. verified Brave VPN card widget shown in the NTP
5. clicked Already purchased Brave VPN? link
6. logged into VPN as an existing user
7. connected to VPN via VPN card widget
8. disconnected from VPN via VPN card widget
9. download policy_templates from https://brave-browser-downloads.s3.brave.com/latest/policy_templates.zip
   - Follow steps 3-12 on how to download latest templates from #26502
10. closed Brave
11. Unzip this policy_templates.zip and close the window
12. Windows + R, type in gpedit.msc, hit enter to open Local Computer Policy Editor window
13. Under Computer Configuration, right click Administrative Templates >> pick Add/Remove templates
14. Select brave >> Add >> Downloads >> policy_templates >> windows >> en-US
15. open brave.adm >>closed Add/Remove Templates window
16. navigate to Classic Administrative Templates >> Brave >> Brave Software settings folder
17. confirmed the actual policies are listed
18. confirmed Disable Brave VPN setting is shown as Not configured
19. edit the settings Disabled Brave VPN to Enabled
20. relaunched Brave
21. confirmed Brave VPN card widget is not shown in the NTP
22. confirmed Brave VPN button in the toolbar is not shown
23. opened brave://policy
24. confirmed BraveVPNDisabled under policy name and value shown true
25. closed Brave
26. opened Local Computer Policy Editor window and edit the settings to Disabled for Disabled Brave VPN settings
27. relaunched Brave
28. confirmed Brave VPN card widget is shown in disconnected state as expected.
29. confirmed VPN icon is shown in the toolbar as expected
30. confirmed able to connect and disconnect the VPN

step 4	step 6	step 7	step 8	step 9	step 11	step 13	step 16	step 18	step 19	step 20 -21	step 24	step 26	step 28 -29	step 30