Are you using Firefox?

Just wondering how many people on a Security Oriented forum are using Firefox.

And i want to know How much safer am i with using Firefox?

 

You may want to try some of the exploit tests in the "Polls" section here: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php it's scary stuff, enough to have most sensible people start looking for better solutions. To thwart the tests this is what works really well for me, very simple to use and maintain: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=315075

You may want to take a look here for further discussion on security and how to make your system that much stronger and here for more.

Let us know how you go…

Cheers

 

Yes, I am using firefox.

 

Nop. I am using Opera though.

 

Yup! .....FF for me.

 

I sometimes use Opera, but Firefox has pretty much won me over.

 

I.E., and proud of it!!!

Listen, what is the point of getting all these security apps if you're not going to give them some work to do? KAV's already picked up a couple of exploits from my I.E. temp files so far today!

Seriously though, if you configure I.E. for safety it is much more secure than some people seem to imagine.

 

Since June, CERT has said use anything else. http://www.theregister.com/2004/06/28/cert_ditch_explorer/
IE configured to the max has been and still is a security threat. I am still confused as to why anyone interested in computer security would use it. Saying IE configured for safety is much more secure than people think is like saying poison, labeled properly, is safer than anyone imagines. The truth is if you use it, you die. Use IE and you are insecure. What is so hard for some to understand about the most basic computer security issue there is? I cannot imagine installing countless security applications on your computer and then use Internet Explorer! It's like doctors putting a bunch of measures in place to stop the spread of germs but then turn around and not do the most basic thing which is to wash their hands. Which is what any security minded computer user should do of Internet Explorer.

 

same from me, ffx is doing the things IE cannot...faster too...

like chocolat...hmmmmm

 

I use Firefox and Opera, flip a coin, 6 of 1, half dozen of the other.




snowbound

 

Aw c'mon, that's "hyper"-BS; sure, IE is targeted more heavily, it has 92+ percent of the market share, but nobody with common sense and good security is gonna catch the Bubonic Plague if they use IE.

Amongst the alternative browers, I prefer Opera and Netscape. {I'm typing this from Netscape 7.2}. But I still occasionally use IE and haven't come down with a deathly case of pneumonia or the plague!

Take your TinFoil Suit and Black Glasses off, come out and smell the roses.

Take Care,
Warmly, Ran

 

The Fox. I have no security concern with IE. Foxy is faster and more tweakable with my dial up. Opera has an edge in cache management (page forward/backward).

 

I too use Opera and Firefox, as well as Ace Explorer from time to time.
Still prefer Opera (registered), although FF is a really nice, free browser with lots of extensions and wonderful themes.
If simply the Noia theme would be available for 1.0, that would help.

 

I like opera quite a bit but i have been useing firefox for months now and really like it since the 1.0 release

bigc

 

Somehow it wouldn't update, so I uninstalled the previous Noia Ewtreme and installed the new one. Choose the new theme and closed FF. On restart ->
Hey, success. I'm a happy man again.
Really nice theme. The best I've seen.

Thanks Ronjor. It made me think why I couldn't update this theme.

 

Hi, Eldar

Yes as ronjor says Noia for the FireFox is now Full v2.81, Noia lite v1.34 for the ThunderBird.

Hi, Gerard Morentzy

Very good had a big smile when I read that.

Take Care,
TheQuest

PS: Sorry Eldar must have been typing as you was Posting.

 

Hi TheQuest

No problem.
It's working now, so that's what matters.
Thanks anyhow for your help.
It sure looks prettier.

 

I use mainly Opera and IE for sites that are "IE-only", but this thread has made me want try FF again, the last time wasn't a succes it was slow, slower than IE so something was definately not right.

 

Using Opera and Firefox am still leaning towards Opera at the moment.

 

Hi!

Listen, I know that I am just a newbie here and not a computer professional, however I have been on the Internet since 1980 at 300kb (CompuServe), so my observations may be somewhat valid. I have tested Microsoft's Beta products, beginning with MSIE Beta 0.5 .

In all of my years on the Internet, I have only had 1 computer virus and exactly "0" browser/spyware hijackings or infections.

I just downloaded Firefox and plan to test it out, just because I like 'playing on the computer'.

But I would like to remind everyone that Firefox, Mozilla, and Netscape are only more secure because almost no one uses them. LOLROTF. Hackers are interested in breaking the codes and infecting 'the most users possible'. They are not interested in inflicting damage to 1% of the world's population. They are interested in inflicting as much damage as possible, therefore they turn to the best and most frequently used product.

If Firefox every becomes the browser of choice, then everyone will be singing Microsoft's praises again. I know that I still do.

The problems are not in the browsers. The problems are with the users. LOL. Two very simple rules: 1. Don't click on any link that you don't trust, and 2. Don't click on any computer tool links which offer to test your computer for you.

The only reason I am running SpyBlaster and Ad-Aware now are because I have fixed many of my friend's computers within the past year for Malware infections and these two products are fantastic (IMO)! I'm glad that I have taken the time to become aquainted with these fine products, and am happy to test Firefox.

However, nothing will replace MSIE for me, as I have never had any kind of problem with it. I do not want to degrade my browsing experience by not having pages display correctly.

So is Firefox better? Probably not, although it may have at least one better feature (tabbed browsing). But as far as security? It's more likely that the hackers just aren't interested in it yet because it is not widely used or accepted.

By the way, Sun Java just released version 1.4.2-06, so if you are concerned about security and new features you should install it as soon as possible since Microsoft Virtual Machine is no longer being enhanced (just updated for security).

Remember, there are always contrarians! Some misguided soles still think that Netscape is better. LOLROTF!

 

That's an interesting opinion, but it's very wrong on the facts. There are security flaws in MSIE itself and within its integration with Windows. There are many other threats than the two listed above if you're using MSIE. Even if it was as simple as "don't click on a link you don't trust," have you ever viewed an image in MSIE?
http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,96124,00.html?f=x73
For that exploit, give thanks to the integration.

Your insights are appreciated, though most of us travel around the web and have crossed a nasty or two since the eighties. If you haven't, you've had to have pretty much stuck with CNN and the Smithsonian.

As to why it's safer surfing with Firefox, why argue over why? Whether it's used by 1%, 5%, or 50% of users, or they aren't interested in targeting whomever for whatever reason, does it matter? For whatever reason, Firefox is safer and more secure. For people to stay with the browser with a bullseye on it, and do it proudly, is confusing to a lot of us who take computer security seriously. That's stating it plainly and I don't mean it to be rude. It's just the truth. Taking IE users to task, who frankly should know better, is apparently troublesome to some. For that, those of us who do apologize if it's taken personally. It certainly isn't meant to be.

 

Thanks Gerard! I was over simplifying my comments, of course.

I am aware of the JPEG exploit code that you have pointed out, but never suffered any consequences from it. However, I have never even suffered from MSIE crashes, let alone vulnerability problems.

Yes, my favorite sites are CNN and CourtTV!!! How did you know LOLROTF! Are you a hacker? LOL. <joke> Are my firewalls working?

But seriously, if some pages aren't going to display properly with an alternative browser then I'd rather take the minimal risk.

Are you aware that NAV just updated their Core files to include adware, spyware, and malware this week? I was even flagged that one of my ICQ Pro skins could be a security risk. If you run the right prevention software, I don't think that anyone need be concerned with a few holes now and then; all browsers are vulnerable. There is just no product yet that can beat MSIE for browsing yet.

Firefox is "the browser of the moment" to some. It will have it's "15 minutes of fame," but they all come and go.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

Yes indeed

 

No, I use Opera almost exclusively. If anyone hasn't given it a look in a little while, 7.60 P2 sure is great