“Internet Explorer users can be as much as 21 times more likely to end up with a spyware-infected PC than people who go online with Mozilla’s Firefox browser, academic researchers from Microsoft’s backyard said in a recently published paper.”
Read more here.
I know that I never get spyware anymore, just a few innocuous tracking cookies.
I don’t have any trouble either. I’ve even installed and use Firefox at work now even though Intel doesn’t officially authorize employees to do so. In fact, a technician in IT told me he couldn’t tell me it was okay to use it, but it sure makes things easier for them if we do (wink, wink). So I do!
Comment by Donna — February 10, 2006 @ 10:22 pm
Just make sure your Firefox is updated to version 1.5.0.1. There is a new threat out that can attack earlier versions.
Comment by Daryl — February 10, 2006 @ 11:02 pm
How do I update my version???
Comment by Heather — February 11, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
Here
Comment by Daryl — February 11, 2006 @ 9:44 pm
Didn’t I mention updating to 1.5.0.1 on my blog? Oh yeah, on Feb 2nd. 😉
Comment by Don — February 11, 2006 @ 11:11 pm
Yes you did, and you get full credit for it, but the news about the new exploit just came out yesterday so it’s not just a nicety anymore but important.
Comment by Daryl — February 12, 2006 @ 12:58 am
I actually heard it was a “must update” on the 2nd. I guess news travels slower in AZ.
Comment by Don — February 12, 2006 @ 2:26 am
I do recall seeing it on your blog too dad, but you had said Betty got a pop up to have her do it. So I kept waiting for mine. But then when I saw Daryl’s post it reminded me that I haven’t received a pop up!
Thanks to you both for helping us not so computer savy avoid the bad guys!
Comment by Heather — February 12, 2006 @ 5:44 am
okay, so I am a bit confused…do I have to download a whole new version or is there an update button?
Also, will I loose all my saved info too?
Comment by Heather — February 12, 2006 @ 5:45 am
There may be an update button, depending on which version you are running now, but even then the new version will have to be downloaded. Easiest to just download the new version and run it. It will preserve all your current settings.
In the future, it should automatically download and install updates as necessary.
Comment by Daryl — February 12, 2006 @ 8:44 am
I wonder if this exploit is the thing that caused the problem I worked on over the weekend. Some friends got an unwanted extension embeded in Firefox that created a worm/trojan every time I deleted it. Took me a while to figure out where it was coming from. It created a couple files in WINDOWS/SYSTEM32 called grimy.exe and udp.exe. Also added entries in the registry to autostart these things.
Comment by Richard — February 13, 2006 @ 11:52 am
I couldn’t find any mention of any malware associated with Firefox extensions (though there were conjectures that it might happen).
Something to watch for, anyway.
Comment by Daryl — February 13, 2006 @ 7:19 pm