Re: Vulnerable Internet Explorer

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: LuckyStrike (LS_at_smokedamagedfurniture.youcandriveitawaytoday.com)
Date: 07/07/04 

Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 10:46:13 -0600

Hi -

Listen S.M., it is a well established fact that IE has a lot of issues
regarding security and the like. That's not a secret by any stretch of the
imagination. When one looks into this to any degree of depth, you'll see
that a number of factors come into play. In no particular order of
appearance:

It is the most popular and widely used - and therefore most widely exploited
browser.
Most people who get their first PC and connect to the WWW haven't a clue as
to the threats which are possible
Those who have some experience continue to "surf wildly" without regard to
security; all in the name of speed and convenience. They have their security
settings at duh-fault (sic) so as to "not be bothered". Enabling ActiveX
*and* Active Scripting will leave the door wide open for attack.

http://www.infinisource.com/techfiles/surf-safe.html
http://www.nwnetworks.com/iezones.htm?
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957
http://securityadmin.info/noframes/faqget.asp
http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/settings.mspx

It is most unlikely that IE is "patched once and for all and forever". New
exploits of old flaws will be discovered. New discoveries of old exploits
will be uncovered. Because of how the code is written (not open source), you
will only have a limited number of users who are astute enough, and fewer
still who will find ways to "solve" the problems inherent in a program which
has all of the above mentioned weaknesses.

Bear in mind that if and when another browser (should that ever become the
case) becomes the most popular in use, it too will attract a greater number
of script kiddies and outright greedy and / or malicious parasitical foes
who go "where the money is".

As for the use of alternative browsers (and I don't know much about all of
the choices in detail) there are choices out there and that is what makes
things better. A few of the choices offer alternatives which are faster or
more secure. This is true to a degree. Some browsers are not as bloated as
IE; hence faster, while still offering a wide array of feature options.
However as one adds those options, the bloat increases - speed decreases.
Security: some browsers -such as Firefox - to name but one, are more secure.
Why? Because they don't load ActiveX as MS does by default. That fix is
easy... don't use default settings. Again, many users bring much of this
problem upon themselves by not keeping current, not Updating (!) or seeking
updates regularly, surfing without adequate protection (Firewall, Antivirus
and Anti-spyware/malware) and without taking preventative measures such as
adjusting their browser settings.

Has MS taken notice or have any comments of these flaws? Here; you be the
judge:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2103152/

Don't bother wasting time and money asking MS questions for which there
aren't answers. But one thing you need to understand here S.M., (please
don't take this personally) is that it is not MS's software. It is *your*
software. You needn't use it if you don't want to. There are other choices,
and many swear by them and not at them. Me? I do use IE6 SP-1 and have a
second browser - without the entire suite - as well.

HTH - 

-- 
LuckyStrike
LS@smokedamagedfurniture.youcandriveitawaytoday.com
How to make a good newsgroup post:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/post.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"S.M." wrote in message news:28e0f01c46432$7405b510$a301280a@phx.gbl...
LuckyStrike,
Thanks!  I am still wondering though if the last three
patches MS has supplied will eliminate all the problems
of vulnerability?  In other words is MS IE truly so bad
people should just ditch it and install and use some
other (safer) browser?  I prefer MS IE.  I don't want to
switch, but the article defines some terrible flaws. Has
anyone from Microsoft made any comment about the validity
of the article?  I cannot ask Microsoft directly without
having to pay and arm and a leg, and that should not
happen when it is THERE software with a vulnerability
problem.
S.M.
>-----Original Message-----
<snipped>

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