US Gov't Says DO NOT Use Internet Explorer

[Jonbo298]

THE US GOVERNMENT has sent out a warning out to internet users through its Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), pleading users to stop using Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Following a malware attack last week which targeted a known flaw in IE, like so many other attacks, the US-CERT recommended using alternative browsers thanks to their increased security. Microsoft is hurriedly trying to increase IE's security with the Windows XP Service Pack 2, but it's not fast enough for many.

In a vulnerability note released by US-CERT, it says "there are a number of significant vulnerabilities in technologies relating to the IE domain" and that "it is possible to reduce exposure to these vulnerabilities by using a different web browser." Well, they're right.

The latest "extremely critical" IE bug has still not been patched by Microsoft

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16922

Well, if you haven't figured it out by now, don't use IE. Someone had a hack out that could've been launched into a super worm/super attack on the internet because they used a simple backdoor in the hole to attach a file to alot of IIS servers (don't ask me what IIS means..im not sure at the moment) and when you went to a popular website, it redirected really quick to a russian server that (when using IE only), installed a little piece of malware on your computer and when this server got enough computers ready/zombified, it was gonna launch a MAJOR attack against the internet because this exploit is really easy to do and they did say it was seen present on a search engine and other things (if needed, ill try and get the other article). So it was gaining steam really fast because of the relative easyness of it. And with Microsoft being lazy on getting this very critical patch out, who knows.

BUT...they had tracked down where the server that was getting this all ready was in Russia and the ISP shut it down thus preventing something major from happening. But the exploit can still happen.

So everyone, please consider using an alternate browser. Something like Mozilla, Firefox, Opera..just about anything besides IE

[Typhoid]

So, do we delete IE, or just dont run the program?

Im not too worried, i think i've had that happen to me, but i use Firefox now...

[GameMaster]

The only people I know who use IE are grown-ups and young kids. Both generally aren't very computer-savy. Oh also, one of my friends uses IE, I'll have to help him.

[Jonbo298]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

So, do we delete IE, or just dont run the program?

Im not too worried, i think i've had that happen to me, but i use Firefox now...

Just don't use IE until MS gets a patch out fixing this

[Dyne]

I used to use it; still do for my FTP. It works well.

When I switched to Firefox I didn't really notice any big differences but this justifies the switch now.

[Jonbo298]

Yeah..I only use IE if a site is very poorly coded or for ftp'ing into things since it works best. But I haven't used IE for normal browsing in quite a bit just because of the uncertainty of security vulnerabilities and the damn popups (at least until SP2)

[manasecret]

I use IE exclusively. It's simple, it works for practically all websites, it doesn't add a bunch of extra features that I don't want or need; it simply does what I want at all times.

I build my own computers, if that's savvy enough.

I've never had security problems, and I've been using broadband for at least four or five years. Knock on wood I suppose.

Pop-ups never got on my nerves that much. I just right-click and close. And stopped looking at porn.. And since I got the Google searchbar which is free and includes a free pop-up blocker, I've had zero problems.

I don't see why everyone hates it so much.

[Seven7]

At moment I can't use IE ... well maybe I could If I set up wine for that but WHY? heh

Originally Posted by Dyne

I used to use it; still do for my FTP. It works well.

When I switched to Firefox I didn't really notice any big differences but this justifies the switch now.

Bah... use a nice FTP client like FileZilla ..(not related to mozilla.org)

And who was it that got you using "Firefox" Dyne .. >_>


By the way for FTP upload, the Mozilla 1.7 release and newer should have single file FTP upload now. This may not happen in Firefox untill after 1.0 release. There is a old ftp upload extension that still worked for me but it's a hassle in that it would be faster/easier to use a FTP client instead of the old extension.

[Vampyr]

Ummm...IE really does suck, you guys who are defending it. And tabs in one place are NOT the same as tabs in another place. It gets extremely annoying haveing several windows open and chatbox opens. It's confusing and stupid.

And you said that you didnt want these new features because you "liked to keep things simple"...well Firefox is about as simple as it gets. It basically comes as a barebones browser, which is one thing that contributes to it being faster (yes, that's actually true: it is faster.)

IE may have been good at some point in time...but not any more. There are obviously better browsers...doesnt this thread speak for itself in that area?

Like GM said...most people who use IE arent very computer savvy and dont realize that there is something better. (Unless you are lazy, like Ace. )

Of course, if you are really set in your ways...cant really convince you otherwise, and it's no skin off my back.


(Now it's time to warn my parents and brother to stop using IE.)

[Typhoid]

Yeah, i recomend Firefox, its super easy to use.

As my good freind Ron Bergundy would say, is its jazz baby.

Firefox i think is the best one you can use, its super easy to use....so just get the god damn firefox.. I mean what more do you want? You get a fox...and fire.....put them together and you get a Firefox...what kind of person doesnt want a fox made of fire?

[Jonbo298]

A simple under 5 megabyte download is soo hard to do with a broadband connection. And oh my, having to click the mouse a few times is just so time consuming to do it

[Danchastu 4.0]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

And tabs in one place are NOT the same as tabs in another place. It gets extremely annoying haveing several windows open and chatbox opens. It's confusing and stupid.

Um, what exactly does that mean? One place not in another?

From foxfire website: "View more than one web page in a single window with this time saving feature. Open links in the background so that they're ready for viewing when you're ready to read them."

Exactly the same as the one I use so don't know what you talking about. *shrug*

And is it just me or does it seem stupid to wear a t-shirt of the browser you use? Next thing you know they'll have a foxfire army killing IE users. "Heil FoxFire!"

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Danchastu 4.0

Um, what exactly does that mean? One place not in another?

From foxfire website: "View more than one web page in a single window with this time saving feature. Open links in the background so that they're ready for viewing when you're ready to read them."

Exactly the same as the one I use so don't know what you talking about. *shrug*

And is it just me or does it seem stupid to wear a t-shirt of the browser you use? Next thing you know they'll have a foxfire army killing IE users. "Heil FoxFire!"

Originally Posted by manasecret

Like I said, I don't need a bunch of new options. I like the simplicity. And tabs in one place are the same as tabs in another place, to me.

Originally Posted by vampyr

And tabs in one place are NOT the same as tabs in another place. It gets extremely annoying haveing several windows open and chatbox opens. It's confusing and stupid.

Understand now? I was making a point that having your tabs in one window is a lot better then having every internet page at the bottom of the screen. Manasecret said having them in once place was the same as having them in another (ie. having them in one window or at the bottom).

[Jonbo298]

And it doesn't use as much memory to have tabs. When you open each IE window, its another chunk of memory used by the browser. With tabs, its still gonna use a little more for each tab, but its not gonna hog as much memory as opening a whole nother browser