Re: Mozilla Firefox

From: C. A. Upsdell (cupsdellXXX_at_-@-@XXXupsdell.com)
Date: 12/16/04 

Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 13:31:02 -0500

"Fuzzy Logic" <bob@arc.ab.caREMOVETHIS> wrote in message
news:Xns95C16DC314A24bobarcabca@207.46.248.16...
> "C. A. Upsdell" <cupsdellXXX@-@-@XXXupsdell.com> wrote in
> news:#Gw0Obx4EHA.2964@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl:
>
>> "Bill Martin" <wylie@earthKILLSPAMlink.net> wrote in message
>> news:MPG.1c2a82ae76621a85989769@msnews.microsoft.com...
>>>> Three Firefox features you might like are: (a) a great popup blocker
>>>> (with
>>>> IE this is available only to those with XP SP2), (b) tabbed browsing
>>>> (for many who use it, it is a godsend); (c) better security (really).
>>>
>>> Ok, I'll bite. Better security how? Fundamentally more secure design
>>> somehow, or just a question of who did the better coding?
>>
>> From a Firefox FAQ (text in parentheses is mine):
>>
>> - There is no support for VBScript and ActiveX, two technologies which
>> are the reasons for many IE security holes. (IE users may be able to
>> disable them, but typical IE users are not techies, and just use IE as
>> it is.)
>
> These same users don't know they need to get updates for Firefox when
> vulnerabilities are found in it. XP SP2 does a much better job of locking
> these settings down.

Actually, Firefox has an automatic update built in. As for IE in XP SP2,
yes it is more secure than IE without SP2, but don't forget all the
customers that Microsoft abandoned.

>> - No spyware/adware software can automatically install in Firefox just
>> by visiting a web site. (A survey in 1Q 2004 found that, of about 1M
>> PCs scanned, there were 300,000 incidences of "serious System Monitors
>> and Trojans")
>
> If IE is properly configured this can be prevented as well. Most spyware
> is installed by users hitting OK to some prompt they don't understand or
> downloading some 'freeware' that comes with more than than had
> anticipated. Firefox won't help them there.

"If IE is properly configured" ... obviously a lot of people don't have it
'properly configured', and probably would not know how to do it. IE out of
the box is simply too insecure.

"Firefox won't help them there" ... Firefox can help them, because it
doesn't provide the hooks that IE does.

>> - Firefox doesn't use Microsoft's Java VM, which has a history of more
>> flaws than other Java VMs.
>
> We wont mention the recent security patch for Sun Java that allowed a Java
> application read/write access to the users machine:
>
> http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-57591-1

One patch. (Though admittedly Sun did a very poor job of publicizing this,
and a worse job of helping people to update.)

> FWIW Since XP SP1 IE uses Sun Java.

It was my impression -- possibly mistaken -- that it came with no Java, and
that customers had to find a JVM to install.

>> - You have complete control over cookies.
>
> IE has this as well. I disable all cookies except for sites that I need.

FF has better control.

>> Techies might know enough to lock down IE: but, as pointed out above,
>> most IE users are not techies.
>
> I would argue that the biggest factor in browser/computer security is not
> the software you are running but the person at the keyboard and how
> familiar they are with their software settings and what to do/not do while
> online.

Arguably true. But most people are incredibly unaware, so for such people
at least a more secure browser is a plus ... if they can be educated as to
what a browser is (many who use IE don't know!), and what alternatives are
available.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Critical error 101 on MS AntiSpyware install
    ... Not to mention everyone and their brother that is on the firefox high ... low and behold - Windows Help opens up - hum, ... because the one thing that was on on my little browser was the little ... Just use windows security, and not ignore ...
    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: Critical error 101 on MS AntiSpyware install
    ... Not to mention everyone and their brother that is on the firefox high ... low and behold - Windows Help opens up - hum, ... because the one thing that was on on my little browser was the little ... Just use windows security, and not ignore ...
    (comp.security.firewalls)
  • Re: Where is the notificiation about IE zero day vulnerablity?
    ... >> protected your Firefox web client. ... >> the popular web site written a thing about it. ... this is a serious a security hole as there ... > about how it was poised to be the one browser to finally beat Microsoft at ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: M$ Updates = homepage hijacker
    ... I have been hearing a lot of good press about FireFox. ... : default browser to be. ... Maybe the Microsoft guys could get some tips from them on how ... No security problems, built-in pop-up blocking, and it's faster than IE. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Java im Zeitalter von Vista
    ... Browser Support ... bei IE und Firefox ins -Tag und ist damit bequem ansprechbar. ... Flash nun garantiert nicht im Vergleich zu Java 5 oder besser Java 6 was im Herbst verfügbar sein soll. ...
    (de.comp.lang.java)