Microsoft sneaks Firefox add-on

[Gen]

I'm not sure people saw this, did a quick search and found no threads about it.

Here's the link: http://www.threatpost.com/blogs/micr...user-knowledge

A routine security update for a Microsoft Windows component installed on tens of millions of computers has quietly installed an extra add-on for an untold number of users surfing the Web with Mozilla's Firefox Web browser, according to a report [washingtonpost.com] by Brian Krebs.

This update adds to Firefox one of the most dangerous vulnerabilities present in all versions of Internet Explorer: the ability for websites to easily and quietly install software on your PC. Since this design flaw is one of the reasons you may've originally choosen to abandon IE in favor of a safer browser like Firefox, you may wish to remove this extension with all due haste.

I removed the extension myself, was absolutely unaware that M$ installed it, I thought it came with one of the Firefox update
How can I even trust them in trying their new Morro AV..

[JRViejo]

Originally Posted by Gen

I'm not sure people saw this, did a quick search and found no threads about it.

Gen, similar discussion in this February '09 Wilders thread: Microsoft Updates Firefox?

[arran]

a bit surprising for microsoft to do this. but can easily be prevented or removed. Microsoft has done a lot of Dumb things in the passed and this is just another one of them.


If it was a security product that I was using which did this then I would be more worried.

[arran]

Originally Posted by ssj100

Interesting. So the fact that Microsoft actually directly reduced the level of security of the browser by silently installing a Firefox add-on doesn't worry you much, relatively. You also admit that Microsoft have done a lot of "dumb things" in the past, and thus have a bad reputation already. This begs the question: what is the next security vulnerability that Microsoft will issue out silently? Are you sure you can you still trust them?

In many ways, the Microsoft Operating system is the primary security product you are using. Why do you think they keep issuing out security fixes and updates for IE, Windows Media Player, Microsoft Office, and Windows itself?

the Microsoft Operating system itself is not a security product, it is rather a tool to enable you to run programs on whether it be games browsers or what ever.

So because the Microsoft Operating system is not a security product and because there is nothing else to use I will always be using Microsoft OS.

[arran]

I do do updates from Microsoft. But I have Automatic Updates disabled because of this very reason. I first wait for reports like this thread before I download the latest updates, same policy with every other product on my pc automatic updates turned off.

[funkydude]

Originally Posted by JRViejo

Gen, similar discussion in this February '09 Wilders thread: Microsoft Updates Firefox?

Indeed, even the date on the blog says May, we're in July.

[Gen]

Yea there's a huge date gap here, it's probably why I (and maybe others) missed it.

[AKAJohnDoe]

In the last round of Windows Updates (or perhaps the one before that) Microsoft issued a fix to allow the add-on to be uninstalled. It does, however, still install.