Spyware on My Machine? So What?

Gerald, You took me personally dude... Anyway, Let me ask you one thing, why Google is the juciest target for hacker ?

I guess, it's time to clear few things very straight forward... First and foremost, am not defending Internet Explorer and neither am a great fan of Bill Gates. Seconldy, I don't have any trouble with people like you.

I am very much aware about IE and its vulnerability and also know why it's so much vulnerable?

Agreed Paranoid ! . Popularity is neither a sole cause but it's nor a micro cause. IE is vulnerable because of so many reasons and its universal approved. But what am trying to say is one of reason of vulnerability is it's popularity. On the other hand, Paranoid, there is no economic incentive to create worms and trojans for something that's used by a small number of people.

It's true that Mozilla and Firefox are inherently more secure than IE fundamentally, in large part because they're more isolated from the operating system. But, it doesn't mean that they are not vulnerable. They are still vulnerable only 'intensions' required..

Being Open source and the company has been more willing than Microsoft to confront the problem head-on is helping them to gain the popularity.

You have full right to share your views and opinion. If you really want to know the new vulnerability of firefox / mozilla / Netscape/IE then all you need to do is just PM me time to time. I'll let you know the junks of vulnerabilities of these browsers..

True Bigc72542.. They are targeting to capture 10% of stake in the browser indrustries by the end of April 2005.

 

Hello NewKid: I was waiting for your answer about what the security association is all about. I went to their website but there is very little info on what it takes to become a member. Even though Gerald was peeved about what he thought was your pro-IE stand when he asked, I also would like to read the bylaws and see what it takes in the way of prerequisites to become a member. Could you help?

Thanks!

 

As far as I can tell, it's nothing more than a group of helpers from certain web forums that provide support for analysis of HJT logs. The name ASAP is somewhat misleading, since it takes far more than being able to read HJT logs to be a real security professional.

If I signed up as a helper for say spywareinfo, I suppose I would be qualified to list the logo.

Some of the people who are helping in this area are pretty good, but most are just ameteurs about the level of the average member here maybe.

Another thought given that this group works mostly to help besieged IE users, perhaps they have a vested interest in discouraging people from switching since if that happened the reason for their existence would be threatened?

Nah.. Just kidding.

 

If your argument is that no software is invulnerable, no one would argue against that. But to state as you did upfront in your inital post that the sole reason that firefox etc is more secure is because it is less used was the reason why everyone beat up on you.

I'm not even say that doesn't make a grain of truth, but your failure to mention even in passing the other advantages of firefox makes me wonder at your intention ,assuming you are not just ignorant of course.

If you really know of a zero day exploit for firefox that is not known to the public you can easily cash in. Of course for every one you know, I know probably 3 for IE

 

Thank you firefoxguy. I did a little deeper research and discovered it is just as you say. It's not a true "professional" association with security training, prerequisites and credentials. It is just a group of people who analyze HJT logs and interpret them for people having problems with spyware. The name of the group is extremely misleading. It would be a little like starting a group called the "Alliance of Journalistic Analysis Professionals" and all we do is read the paper and give our opinions on its journalistic integrity, regardless of our credentials to do so. So, that explains a lot and clears that up. Thanks!

 

You can get some good security out of IE by turning off Active X in options, which tunrs it off for your system too. After turning off most java option, running spybot, a TSR virus program and a firewall, I've never been infected using IE. However, i too now use firefox, and it is more secure becsaue there is no native connection between your computer and the browser, as there is in IE. I'll never go back to IE. Firefox Rocks!

 

Read an interesting article in a mag on a flight yesterday.....about installing a version of firefox on your usb thumb drive! I didn't know this!
http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_firefox/
It runs directly from your usb drive...so you can carry it around in your pocket and use it on any machine!

!!!