IE vulnerable for 284 days in 2006

[Jimmy 2004]

If you were using a fully updated version of Microsoft Internet Explorer last year, with every one of the patches installed, you could still have been vulnerable to attack from known flaws for 284 last year. For at least 98 of those days, Microsoft knew about bugs which were being actively exploited by criminals without a patch available. This means that there were only 81 days during which Internet Explorer was completely safe against known problems, compared to all but nine days for Mozilla Firefox. Apparently at least ten of the critical problems had resolutions published online before Microsoft released a fix, so perhaps Internet Explorer 7 will wield more security for users. Admittedly this research does not account for unknown bugs, so both browsers are likely to truly be vulnerable at any time.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[L|NK|N]

Im so glad I use Firefox.

 

[EviLZeD]

Im so glad I use Firefox.

same i use anything other then IE :\

 

[jocksteeluk]

firefox is just as flawed as IE, it doesnt matter which way you stirr the cup its still tea.

 

[Taz100420]

IE messed up for me today and I went to Firefox and is MUCH better for me

 

[Jimmy 2004]

I use firefox myself - not because it is more secure but because there are nice add ons like adblock which do a great job without being disguised spyware. Plus there are themes and it had tabbed browsing long before IE, so I got used to it and stuck with it. In all fairness, Firefox probably has about the same number of bugs as IE but less people are looking for them. The most secure of the biggest browsers would probably be Opera because not many people use it so not too many hackers are looking for flaws, so less are found.

 

[mout12]

You guys all use Firefox because you want to sound cool on the internet. People don't try to exploit firefox as much because only like 1 in 20 use it.

The other reason you all use firefox is because you haven't tried Avant browser.

 

[mout12]

I like firefox more.

WTF kind of biased news website is this anyway? Why the hell do i come here for information?

 

[Jimmy 2004]

WTF kind of biased news website is this anyway? Why the hell do i come here for information?

I'm still a forum user and entitled to my opinion. I based the original news story on the information that I had in order to keep it unbiased, and posted my opinion on the story further down so that the news is neutral but I can express what I do.

I don't know why you come here for information if you don't like the site. Is there anything wrong with the news story itself? Please do reply if there is so I can then improve, as far as I am aware I have posted a fair story - let me know if you think otherwise.

Honestly - if you do have any constructive feedback feel free to send me an email or private message and I will happy to discuss it with you, but I hope you can appreciate I did keep my opinion separate.

Edit: I've updated my post to "I use Firefox myself" rather than "I like Firefox more". I'll agree that it may sound biased when it is in the same thread as the original news story, and I apoligise for that.

 

[Jimmy 2004]

You guys all use Firefox because you want to sound cool on the internet. People don't try to exploit firefox as much because only like 1 in 20 use it.

The other reason you all use firefox is because you haven't tried Avant browser.

I've been using Firefox for so long because it was the first browser I came across which featured tabbed browsing (I've used it for a long time now). Because I had it setup how I wanted it and had gotten used to the free add-ons like AdBlock and I liked the freedom of themes, I sticked with it when IE 7 came out because now nearly all sites work with it.

Admittedly I haven't tried Avant browser for a couple of years now and it has probably changed a lot, but at the time I wasn't too amazed by it so I never really got into the habbit of using it.

 

[InfDamarvel]

You guys all use Firefox because you want to sound cool on the internet. People don't try to exploit firefox as much because only like 1 in 20 use it.

The other reason you all use firefox is because you haven't tried Avant browser.

You sound like your in middle school. Tabbed browsering is why I switched to firefox. And if less people using the browser creates less exploits within the browser well then thats nice. O and no clue wtf Avant is, but Id probably use Opera as my 2nd browser.

WTF kind of biased news website is this anyway? Why the hell do i come here for information?

O btw, this guy used the word "I", He didnt say "FireFox was Better" he said that "HE" likes it better. Read carefully k.

 

[newtekie1]

I would like to know how they came up with these figures, because I can't remember a single day that there wasn't an unpatched Security warning on Secunia for Firefox, just like IE.

Though I really love when Firefox fanboys claim that when a new version of Firefox is released and the vulnerabilities haven't been posted yet, that means that Firefox was 100% secure during that time, even if the same security problems still exist in the new version but haven't been confirmed yet. So if a new version comes out, it suddenly is 100% secure. If a vulnerability is found in it 10 days later that existed in the previous version, to firefox fanboys Firefox was 100% secure for those 10 days.

 

[WarEagleAU]

It just goes to show you that MS relies on these underhanded tactics to sell new "OS" and demonstrate better security. They all must think we are a bunch of retards who dont know a floppy drive from a zip drive!

 

[Jimmy 2004]

I would like to know how they came up with these figures, because I can't remember a single day that there wasn't an unpatched Security warning on Secunia for Firefox, just like IE.

Though I really love when Firefox fanboys claim that when a new version of Firefox is released and the vulnerabilities haven't been posted yet, that means that Firefox was 100% secure during that time, even if the same security problems still exist in the new version but haven't been confirmed yet. So if a new version comes out, it suddenly is 100% secure. If a vulnerability is found in it 10 days later that existed in the previous version, to firefox fanboys Firefox was 100% secure for those 10 days.

No browser can ever be proved to be 100% secure... there are always new exploit being found. I think the figures came from doing reseach asking a lot of people who had revealed flaws in IE. I agree though, you will always get the fanboys that exaggerate. In reality all browsers are vulnerable for 365 days a year, just to unknown exploits.

 

[InfDamarvel]

I would like to know how they came up with these figures, because I can't remember a single day that there wasn't an unpatched Security warning on Secunia for Firefox, just like IE.

Though I really love when Firefox fanboys claim that when a new version of Firefox is released and the vulnerabilities haven't been posted yet, that means that Firefox was 100% secure during that time, even if the same security problems still exist in the new version but haven't been confirmed yet. So if a new version comes out, it suddenly is 100% secure. If a vulnerability is found in it 10 days later that existed in the previous version, to firefox fanboys Firefox was 100% secure for those 10 days.

lol what world do you live in? FireFox Fan Boys? Wow.
No internet browser is secure and the fact is nothing on the internet is secure. People should use the browser that that are satisfied with the most.

For me its Firefix because it seems to work faster than IE7 when loading pages(for me) and I rarely get popups. Plus all the addons you can get. Which is good enough for me.

 

[mout12]

I'm still a forum user and entitled to my opinion. I based the original news story on the information that I had in order to keep it unbiased, and posted my opinion on the story further down so that the news is neutral but I can express what I do.

Just because you didn't write the story, doesn't mean that you didn't go looking for something to slam IE, and make FF look better than any other browser. - The same reason I don't watch CNN.

 

[Alec§taar]

The most secure of the biggest browsers would probably be Opera because not many people use it so not too many hackers are looking for flaws, so less are found.

It is the fastest, most secure, AND most std.'s compliant web-browser there is, bar-none... especially in Windows' environs.



* I'm one of those "the few, the proud, the Marines" that use Opera in fact, & that is why above...

APK

 

[qwo]

You sound like your in middle school. Tabbed browsering is why I switched to firefox. And if less people using the browser creates less exploits within the browser well then thats nice. O and no clue wtf Avant is, but Id probably use Opera as my 2nd browser.



O btw, this guy used the word "I", He didnt say "FireFox was Better" he said that "HE" likes it better. Read carefully k.

IE is TABBED too, not only firefox

I've been using Firefox for so long because it was the first browser I came across which featured tabbed browsing (I've used it for a long time now). Because I had it setup how I wanted it and had gotten used to the free add-ons like AdBlock and I liked the freedom of themes, I sticked with it when IE 7 came out because now nearly all sites work with it.

Admittedly I haven't tried Avant browser for a couple of years now and it has probably changed a lot, but at the time I wasn't too amazed by it so I never really got into the habbit of using it.

first tabbed browser is sleipnir, or NetCaptor

 

[Bob The Fish]

I use IE because it bothers my friends that use FireFox.

 

[DRDNA]

I use Morris code for all stuff that must be delivered real fast and smoke signals for what needs to be encrypted ..I use the INTERNET for benching and gaming and learning...I use IE but have tried most of the other browsers and really it is about preference mostly

 

[Jimmy 2004]

IE is TABBED too, not only firefox

But Firefox has been tabbed for much longer - IE 7 has only been out for a few months and I don't tend to use toolbars so my IE 6 wasn't tabbed, my choice obviously.

first tabbed browser is sleipnir, or NetCaptor

Firefox was the first I came accross, I'm sure you're right but I've never tried those.

 

[Lazzer408]

I can't stand tabbed browsing. When some improperly coded website crashes I loose them all. At least running multiple instances of IE I had a chance. I uninstalled FF and also IE7. I'm running IE 6. Some people like to be different just to be different. Maybe deep inside it's there own way of breaking free from the government oppression that rules this world. It's like not having to pay taxes at all with firefox or linux. -chuckle-

 

[newtekie1]

I can't stand tabbed browsing. When some improperly coded website crashes I loose them all. At least running multiple instances of IE I had a chance. I uninstalled FF and also IE7. I'm running IE 6.

You know every tabbed browser I have ever used(Avant, Firefox, IE7, Maxthon, Opera) gives you the option to not use the tabs if you don't want to.

 

[Lazzer408]

I assumed. But I didn't like how the bars were moved around either. I didn't find the option for non-tab browsing in the first 30sec so it got uninstalled. It's like buying cars. You get in and you like it or you dont. But if you get in and the steering wheel is horizontal and the turn and wiper levers are reversed, and the shifter is on the roof, etc etc etc. you might say to yourself "wtf?" and thats exactly how I reacted to IE7.

 

[newtekie1]

Then use Avant with the IE7 rendering engine if you don't like how everything is layed out in IE7's UI.