Are you STILL using Internet Explorer? You were warned...

demonboy

demonboy

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A thread for technophobes.

Having just heard about the latest security issue with Internet Explorer I'm reminded of the thread in this forum just the other week about malware and viruses. In particular Nickrj suggested the use of Firefox as your primary browser. Worthy advice.

Open source (where the source code of a piece of software is free for everyone to adapt, add-to and fine-tune) isn't new news any more, but it's a damn good reason for using Firefox as your browser instead of IE. Security issues are dealt with far more quickly by 20,000 developers from around the world than 50 developers sitting in an office at MS headquarters. This is open-source versus closed. Firefox versus Internet Explorer. Safe browsing versus internet users being duped into giving away personal information.

I don't want to get into an MS-bashing thing here but all yotties who are internet browsing on their ship's laptop with IE really should consider switching to another browser.
 
Demonboy, why are you so concerened about IE? If you take the sensible precautions of installing a good firewall,anti-spyware and virus protector you will have no problems! You can purchase these and the ones that you purchase are better than the "FREEBIES". Don't be so paranoid my friend /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Paul, I think you may have missed the point of my thread. It was for people still using IE in light of the revelation last night of the latest security problem. It was to warn yotties who aren't so tech-savy and who may not have understood the issues raised in the previous thread I alluded to.

I'm a web developer so I'm familiar with all types of browsers and have them all installed on my laptop since I have to ensure cross-browser compatibility. I don't have a problem myself and it certainly wasn't paranoia. Just doing a public duty!
 
Thanks for your post, from time to time we see copius warnings about malicious attacks and "Flaws" with MS and various associated products. I must say that I have no commercial interest in any OS and just think that MS get a bad deal in the media. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I agree, which is why I pretexted my advice with the caveat 'I don't want to get into an MS bashing thing'. However I was listening to the news here in Turkey at some redicuous hour last night/this morning, via BBC Radio 4, and I was led to believe that this particular issue is pretty serious. So bad, in fact, that 'experts' have been advising IE users to migrate to another browser until MS bring out an emergency patch.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Demonboy, why are you so concerened about IE? If you take the sensible precautions of installing a good firewall,anti-spyware and virus protector you will have no problems! You can purchase these and the ones that you purchase are better than the "FREEBIES". Don't be so paranoid my friend /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Why do you say that the paid solutions are better than the free ones? I would disagree with you there unless you have money to waste.

As far as the IE exploit is concerned this is not that recent:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=2301

More recently this one also:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=2313
(not that this would be a problem for forum members here)

Firefox had something similar not long ago and the answer to that was to always use the NoScript extension, which stops these attacks.
 
Save your sympathy

Microsoft are the most common and the most often targetted.

They've made a lot of money, good luck..

If you're interested ie8 is out in beta.

Don't kid yourself that firewall and virus checker, whether free or paid, WILL be able to keep you clear from the next round of attacks.
 
Hi demonboy. I agree with you that MS IE will give you more problems than it is worth. For my two cents; I would recommend Safari for Windows. Apple elegance, performance and security for the PC world. You can get it free here Safari for Windows download

Btw, the BBC World News TV channel is presently running this IE security warning in their headline news every hour. Seems that you are not the only one that takes this threat seriously.
 
Re: Safari

Oi! come you whizzo's have pity on us numptys. Is there a simple alternative to Internet Explorer..or not? Please. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(I've got all the free anti spy/virus doodahs installed)
 
Re: Safari

Thank you James, just what I wanted,I think even I can handle that. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Try googling 'speed up firefox'.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's interesting, giving it a try thanks (the Mozilla instructions).

NoScript mentioned before can be read about and installed here:
http://noscript.net/

I would also suggest setting cookies to be deleted on closing Firefox, but adding all sites you wish to allow cookies for (such as this one), to exceptions so that you keep the ones you trust. If you have SpywareBlaster installed you will see it's blocked sites in the exceptions list too.
 
Re: Safari

[ QUOTE ]
a hacker's dream.

Nearly as loophole-ridden as IE 7.

[/ QUOTE ]So how come it hasn't? Safari has not had any serious security issues, at least not to my knowledge. Are you kicking it just because it has a Mac heritage, or do you have any specific knowledge here that you might want to share?
 
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