German government warns against using MS Explorer

[swarfega]

The German government has warned web users to find an alternative browser to Internet Explorer to protect security.

The warning from the Federal Office for Information Security comes after Microsoft admitted IE was the weak link in recent attacks on Google's systems.

Microsoft says the security hole can be shut by setting the browser's security zone to "high", although this limits functionality and blocks many websites.

However, German authorities say that even this would not make IE fully safe.

Speaking to BBC News, Graham Cluley of anti-virus firm Sophos said the warning applied to versions 6, 7 and 8 of the browser.

"This is a vulnerability that was announced in the last couple of days. Microsoft have no patch yet and the implication is that this is the same one that exploited on the attacks on Google earlier this week," he said.

"The way to exploit this flaw has now appeared on the internet, so it is quite possible that everyone is now going to have a go."

Microsoft traditionally release a security update once a month - the next scheduled patch is the 9th of February. However, a spokesman for Microsoft told BBC News that developers for the firm were trying to fix the problem.

"We are working on an update on this issue and this may well be involve an out of cycle security update," he said.

Fix development

However, this is no easy task. Not only have the firm got to fix the loophole, but they have to ensure it does not create another one and - equally importantly - works on all computers. This is a challenge compounded by the fact they have to fix three different versions of its browser.
Microsoft said that while all versions of Internet Explorer were affected, the risk was lower with more recent releases of its browser.

The other problem facing developers is that the possible risk might not be prevented by anti-virus software, even when recently updated.

"We've been working to analyse the malware that the Chinese are using. But new versions can always be created," said Mr Cluley.

"We've been working with Microsoft to see if the damage can be mitigated and we are hoping that they will release an emergency patch.

"One thing that should be stressed is that every browser has its security issues, so switching may remove this current risk but could expose you to another."

more

 

[VektaFrenzy]

I am using Mozilla Firefux and it's really cool.
I think that Goverment of German is too sensitive to respond that.

http://www.vektanova.com/2009/06/friendbar-for-facebook-and-twitter.html

 

[fireberd]

If I were worried about every potential security "hole" in any PC software I would not be on the internet period or have e-mail. Every OS (including the Apple OS') have potential security issues.

 

[manhunter2826]

This is unprecedented surely? A government suggesting people do not use a specific browser. Mind you, why on earth would anyone want to use IE

 

[valtonray]

i was just gonna say don't we always recommand people use an alternate browser just as well.

 

[HerrKaLeun]

I really don't understand why anyone would use IE to begin with. Most other browsers have better features and Ff finally got that memory leak issue resolved. just the bookmark syncronisation that FF has so that I can sync my bookmarks at home and at work is enough reason not to use IE.

unfortunately some applications (Honeywell building automation system) use some of the non-HTML standard IE features and I have to use IE for those.

And I don't even think IE8 is so less secure. All browsers have leaks and fix them. I'm sure MS is working overtime to fix that. The real problem is, that people still use old IE 6 or 7, or old FF etc. Using one of those is so much less secure than using IE8 with that one leak. Considering browsers are free, I really don't understand. It is either noobs that use IE 6 or conservative IT managers that "need to try everything out before they have the users use it". Our IT department recently deployed IE8 as the new "internet access software" as they called it (since we are too stupid to know what a browser is they need to use that kindergarten language). Cool, I had FF and IE8 whenever they came out and install it regardless of if IT likes it or not.

 

[pezzonovante]

IE8 and Chrome have Protected Mode support. But Firefox has no such features. Plus the default Firefox UI is very very ugly. That's why I don't use Firefox. IE8 and Chrome 4 are awesome browsers.

 

[Colonel Travis]

IE8 and Chrome 4 are awesome browsers.

Now that we know that major google attack went through IE, and not Adobe, you cannot make that claim for IE. Even if they used IE6, MS itself said IE8 and IE7 are vulnerable to the same security hole, although it's difficult to exploit it (gee, what confidence, MS.) I'm not a hacker so I don't know how difficult, but this is a big fat mess for MS.

 

[manhunter2826]

IE8 and Chrome have Protected Mode support. But Firefox has no such features. Plus the default Firefox UI is very very ugly.

Wow, what is PM support? Have to disagree about FF having an ugly UI

 

[Datalyss]

Mind you, why on earth would anyone want to use IE

Agreed. Especially since there's an IE add-on for Firefox.

 

[HerrKaLeun]

IE8 and Chrome have Protected Mode support. But Firefox has no such features. Plus the default Firefox UI is very very ugly. That's why I don't use Firefox. IE8 and Chrome 4 are awesome browsers.

Chrome has almost no features (which can be nice, though), IE apparently has leaks.
Looks are subjective... but in my FF I see the bookmarks, the top with the address and tabs and th bottom with the weather forecast plugin. It's not Miss Universe, but not ugly. the largest part of the screen is the website itself.

how else would it look like? all browsers kind of look the same besides some different color schemes, and function-specific buttons.

 

[madtownidiot]

Kind of peculiar that a company without access to the source code for windows can create a browser that benchmarks 5x as fast and is more secure than IE.

 

[swarfega]

French have joined in now: French government also warns Internet Explorer users - Mozilla Links

 

[DrWho]

For years, I've been telling my friends and customers "Don't use I.E. It just ain't safe!"

For a long time I used Netscape, but now since Firefox was first released, that's all I ever use. Need I.E. compatibility? Then use the I.E.Tab for Firefox. Simple!

Doc

 

[fseal]

Nevermind that IE has actually had fewer vunerabilities in recent years than any other browser .

Such "recomendations" are compeltely useless and even damaging. If everyone jumped to FF (Still full of holes monthly) then THAT will become the biggest attack vector.

Education on how to use ANY browser securely (and they ALL can including IE) is far more educational. This is all very much like the "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for one day, Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life." parable...

 

[UrbanBounca]

Nevermind that IE has actually had fewer vunerabilities in recent years than any other browser .

Such "recomendations" are compeltely useless and even damaging. If everyone jumped to FF (Still full of holes monthly) then THAT will become the biggest attack vector.

Education on how to use ANY browser securely (and they ALL can including IE) is far more educational. This is all very much like the "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for one day, Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life." parable...

I've never had a problem with Firefox. I simply don't feel safe using Internet Explorer. It may be the fact they have a horrible track record, but I refuse to use Internet Explorer, even with all their "more secure than..." claims.

 

[Frostmourne]

I use Opera, which isn't really affected since not many people use it.

 

[swarfega]

Australian government joins in, warns users against IE

lol!

Interesting graph:

 

[Wordsworth]

I've always used IE with some intermittent use of Netscape, Opera and others when I dual booted with Linux. I've been on the Net since 1995 and never been infected.

I was infected once in my pre-Net days. By a floppy from work.

Best practices keep a lot of demons at bay.

 

[KazeNoKoe23]

I'm not a fan of IE, but let's be realistic here. If you use IE8 in Vista or 7, and have UAC enabled (which powers the Protected Mode), you're going to be pretty safe. My beef with IE isn't because of security (although that was my main issue with it back in the IE6 and earlier days), it's the lack of features.