# Security Issue in IE browser? Any thoughts or recommendations on this? Thnx. 12/08



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi guys and gals, computer knowing folks, any thoughts on this?
Major flaw revealed in Internet Explorer; users urged to switch : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech

Would you recommend a switch for folks away from IE? If yes, which of the recommended browsers do you like: chrome, safari, firefox, opera? Thanks alot, everyone.


----------



## Catbox (Oct 3, 2007)

I have read the news on the security flaws... I have switched over to Firefox as much as i'm used to IE... 
I have both browsers though... explorer will always be a target with their large share of browser usage among people... I also recommend Zone Alarm(firewall... and it's free) It let's you know if something is trying to get in or out of your comp... If something does get on your comp... if it tries to access the internet from your computer... the firewall will pop up and you can stop it... 
ZoneAlarm by Check Point - Award winning PC Protection, Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-Spyware, Identity Protection, and much more.

spyware blaster is good and free also... it stops malicious active X controls that can hijack your browser
or use tracking software
SpywareBlaster | Prevent spyware and malware. Free download.

nothing is foolproof but these will give you a fighting chance...


----------



## queerrep (Jul 18, 2006)

Girlzndollz said:


> Would you recommend a switch for folks away from IE?


YES.  Have you looked at Flock? Installed it about a month ago and I really like it. It even has a sidebar where you can view Twitter.


----------



## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

I switched to Firefox a couple of years ago but it has problems rendering some websites I use and it has become a memory hog; still it is probably the best browser available. Chrome is my next favorite, very fast, light on memory and renders pages correctly; the downside is it currently has no support for plug-ins.


----------



## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

I don't really use IE anymore, unless I'm testing a website.

Not so much for the security issues, but just because I prefer firefox more. There's a plugin for firefox that will let you open IE *inside* of a firefox tab, which pretty much means I never start Internet Explorer anymore these days.

My secondary browser that is getting more play is Google Chrome. They recently took it out of Beta, and it's very handy for gmail and running multiple tabs.


----------



## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

I just tried the flock browser. Pretty impressive. Thanks again Rhonda for the post!


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

I the love multiple tabs feature probably more than anything else. I'm like, addicted to being able to have multiple tabs open.


----------



## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Girlzndollz said:


> I the love multiple tabs feature probably more than anything else. I'm like, addicted to being able to have multiple tabs open.


You and me both. My wife hates when I have them all open. The worst thing is when the browser crashes, but Firefox will remmeber what you had open. Firefox is pretty good. It has tons of customization abilities. But on the Mac I use Safari because I am too lazy to switch.


----------



## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Like Rodney, I rarely ever open IE..I switched to Firefox right after it came out....just because I did not like the MS steamroller!....I really like Firefox much better and lately have been playing with Google's Chrome. It is a bit faster to load than Firefox and IE. I have not looked at Flock...might later. I did download Apple's Safari for the PC and it is sort of okay I guess..


----------



## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

I use Firefox primarily to avoid hijacking issues. As Catbox stated, people find the security flaws in what is most widely used. I know Firefox isn't invulnerable, just it's less of a target therefore less possibility of someone hijacking me by just visiting a site. So in brief, I wouldn't recommend a switch, as the more people who use it, the bigger the target becomes and then I'd have to find another browser


----------



## vexx78 (Oct 15, 2008)

I have switched form IE to Firefox and I must say I'm a believer. Less chance of hijacks and more features than IE. The multiple tab idea come from Firefox I believe, IE just copied it. So if that's your sticking point for sticking with IE then it might be time for a change. Yes you can!


----------



## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

Firefox or Opera - Opera is slightly quicker at the moment.
IE is always playing catch-up.
D


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Here's a link to the patch for the Security Issue for IE:

IE hack patch is out: How to get it : Christopher Null : Yahoo! Tech


----------



## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

This weekend my computer started doing some really strange things. For one I picked up a trojan off a free vector site (Will not mention the name) and then on Monday I just got attacked. the computer went wild. I started running my security programs Mcafee, Windows update, windows defender, Regcure, and all said nothing found, or for those they did find they said it had to be manually removed. I then started skybot, and few other removal tools, but I kept getting this Nesky.Q error, and pup error. Hell the nesky error went form I believe d to q. I have had firefox installed on my system many years now but i never used it because as an appraiser two of the sites I have to use looks and does not function property in firefox. I booted up a second machine, tracked down the possible causes, and which tools would get rid of them, then on the corrupt machine, used the firefox browser to access the sites i needed to clean it up. shortly afterward IE started throwing out updates left and right. I wasted three days cleaning up so I am now only using firefox.

Katrina


----------



## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

veedub3 said:


> This weekend my computer started doing some really strange things. For one I picked up a trojan off a free vector site (Will not mention the name) and then on Monday I just got attacked. the computer went wild. I started running my security programs Mcafee, Windows update, windows defender, Regcure, and all said nothing found, or for those they did find they said it had to be manually removed. I then started skybot, and few other removal tools, but I kept getting this Nesky.Q error, and pup error. Hell the nesky error went form I believe d to q. I have had firefox installed on my system many years now but i never used it because as an appraiser two of the sites I have to use looks and does not function property in firefox. I booted up a second machine, tracked down the possible causes, and which tools would get rid of them, then on the corrupt machine, used the firefox browser to access the sites i needed to clean it up. shortly afterward IE started throwing out updates left and right. I wasted three days cleaning up so I am now only using firefox.
> 
> Katrina


It's amazing where all this occurs now. It used to be spam e-mail and porn sites that would always be at the root of the problem, however these days it's everything goes. I know the gaming community is a fairly big target now. Guess all a site needs to do to put their user at risk is use the wrong affiliate program and/or rotating banners, heard of some fairly popular gaming sites accidentally infecting users with keyloggers from those very same things.


----------



## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

I would suggest to ANYONE with a pc, DONT EVER USE IE There are more viruses and malware made to attack IE than ANY other browser on teh planet.. Now, a virus usually first finds a hole in IE and then goes into your computer where it injects itself. A virus is basically a program that, when you visit a website or download sometime, runs INSTANTLY. On a website, a virus can just be sitting there and as soon as someone visits the site, there is a bit of code that says "run_ filename/script" and it is a SPECIFIC program, just like photoshop or illustrator that is made for specific platforms and it will ONLY run if all those requirements are met.. AND since IE is the most commonly used browser, and PCs are still the most common computers, people who write these programs write them for IE and PCs/ There is not one known virus for Macs. 

the only reason SOME websites look funny in FIREFOX is because the developer didnt account for firefox when they made it, but jsut about ALL major and the majority of minor websites look great in both those browsers. 

solution.. Get a mac and run firefox


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks to everyone posting in this thread... I'm looking at the different browsers, and I saw this today... it's Firefox 3. Is this a good version to get?

Mozilla Firefox - Yahoo! Edition

Does it matter that it is a yahoo edition? I am a yahoo user, but does that make it inferior to another Firefox browser in anyway? Thanks, again.


----------



## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

PERSONALLY, i just like the barebones versions of web browsers and then i will add my own addons as i wish. I would install just the basic firefox 3 (which is what i have) and then if you want, you can go to their website and install some addons that YOU think are nessecary.. otherwise you end up with a load of "extras" that you might never use that will just slow down your computer and internet browsing..

FIREFOX FREE DOWNLOAD FOR FF3


----------



## krylonking (Aug 28, 2007)

Firefox FTW!! I've been using FF for about a year and I love it, the only time IE opens is when I'm checking sites for people on the forums, or opening a link from a message in my outlook.


----------



## krylonking (Aug 28, 2007)

lindsayanng said:


> solution.. Get a mac and run firefox


what if ur poor


----------



## queerrep (Jul 18, 2006)

I also use Firefox on my Mac, but Flock is much faster.


----------



## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

this is the way i think about macs.. 

I CURRENTLY have and am using a mac that is 10 years old AND STILL KICKING. I have only put $300 into it to with adding the updated operating system an a little more RAM, but thats it.. So it was $2000 TOTAL with the added stuff FOR 10 YEARS..

The AVERAGE PC last about 3 years. At 3 years they start to bog down, taking a LONG time to turn on, more time to open programs, and then saving things.. FORGET IT!! So you loose money on productivity.. AND you have to buy 3 computers to last the life of ONE mac.. 

So if you bought the top of the line PC desktop at around $600 but you had to buy it 3 times over 10 years, you spent $2400 PLUS all the time and PAIN AND SUFFERING that comes with 10 years of owning a PC.. 

A mac doesnt seem so expensive now right???


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

lindsayanng said:


> this is the way i think about macs..
> 
> I CURRENTLY have and am using a mac that is 10 years old AND STILL KICKING. I have only put $300 into it to with adding the updated operating system an a little more RAM, but thats it.. So it was $2000 TOTAL with the added stuff FOR 10 YEARS..
> 
> ...


 Now what if you just have someone format that same machine once every 3 yrs as you say. Say it costs $100.00 (which is way too high) now you've only got $900.00 in that same machine.

People go download www.malwarebytes.com and run it, it's totally free and is one of the best malware/trojan/spyware programs I have ever used and again it's totally free.


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

lindsayanng said:


> this is the way i think about macs..
> 
> I CURRENTLY have and am using a mac that is 10 years old AND STILL KICKING. I have only put $300 into it to with adding the updated operating system an a little more RAM, but thats it.. So it was $2000 TOTAL with the added stuff FOR 10 YEARS.....
> 
> The AVERAGE PC last about 3 years..... if you bought the top of the line PC desktop at around $600


 
 Almost, Lindsay. 

The Mac at $2000 for 10 years comes to $200 a year.

The PC at $600 for 3 years comes to $200 a year.

3 pcs at $600 comes to $1800 for 9 years. 

Add the other $200 for that for the Mac life of 10, and it's a dead heat.

Now the pain and suffering of owning a PC? Priceless, haha.


----------



## MYDAMIT (Jan 14, 2007)

I have firefox and opera. I like firefox overall but if i'm watching video i switch to Opera much faster. There are lots of video in youtube about comparison of all browser.


----------



## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Girlzndollz said:


> Almost, Lindsay.
> 
> The Mac at $2000 for 10 years comes to $200 a year.
> 
> ...


And if you build your own machine, you'll have WAY LESS then $600.00 in it and it will last ALOT LONGER then 3 yrs.


----------



## lindsayanng (Oct 3, 2008)

haha.. Good point.. But the Pain and Suffering is HORRID. I have a PC at work that was the #1 consumer reports rated PC and it is only 9 months old.. its ALREADY crashing and giving me hell... I HATE VISTA


----------



## krylonking (Aug 28, 2007)

Girlzndollz said:


> Now the pain and suffering of owning a PC? Priceless, haha.


noo the good feeling of bashing in a PC with a baseball bat is priceless


----------



## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

I haven't used a Mac since OSX came out but prior to OSX I did not like the operating system, the hardware was very expensive, the performance compared to a PC was poor and I did not find them particulary stable. But I would like to try out one of the new Macs sporting OSX.


----------

