>> The question is whether or not FireFox in mass use would reduce spyware - >> I'm not sure it would. It very well might - I just don't know. > >IE installs software without your consent - so yes it would reduce it >(using logic and experience not stats). After I install firefox on >systems and run spybot a month or two later there isn't any spyware.
No it doesn't. Or will we continue to compare the initial release of IE with the current release of FireFox? Anonymous installation of software was a bug. A bug that's been addressed. Any software that took advantage of that bug is legitimatly "viral" and can and should be caught by any off-the-shelf virus checking software. I think we're all in agreement that the first step to good security is to patch your systems as recommended by your vendor. (Even the gentlemen in Jochem's reference link admits that none of the software installed could have been installed with a fully patched system. Although I can't see what good point can be made by testing on five year old, unpatched software.) I think we can also all be agreement is that the second step in good security is to run up-to-date virus checkers and firewalls. The argument, it seems to me, is not to switch to Firefox but rather to patch your systems. These are two very different things. Also, there will be spyware on many people's ForeFox machines because, just as always, they can easily be tricked into installing it. Can you (or, humbly, I) be tricked? Probably not - but that's not who we're talking about - "the masses" definately can be and are. This software is not Viral and doesn't take advantage of bugs to install itself and so there's a legal question as to whether virus scanners can and should detect it. FireFox is a great browser, but it's not a panacea for bad human behavior. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:186302 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
