thought i'd try firefox, doesn't seem faster but it is simpler, however it uses more resources than IE.

firefox reports 26,000k mem usage while IE reports 14,000k mem usage. I thought firefox was supposed to be more efficient and compact.

any other benefits or drawbacks?

is it safer or more resistant to attacks etc?

QUOTE (synthesisdv @ Jan 20 2005, 08:29 AM)

is it safer or more resistant to attacks etc?

yepp, noticed that too. takes longer to load and eats up more ressources.

security benefits?
um, yeah, like, it doesn't run background ActiveX or vb-scripts, you know, the kind of stuff that installs spyware & adware on your computer ...

Andy

that's good to know.

i noticed that when ie opens, some other processes start also, so maybe the memory hit is spread out instead of being reported as one app.

what's the safe tool these days to clean spyware without f'ng up your system?

I've used Spybot, you can download it from their site or others. It lists the spyware products it found and lets you decide which to delete, so it's your fault if you delete something :-D But it's worked well for me.

Spybot download
It's a free download, you don't have to donate to them FYI

Also try AdAware SE. There's a free version @ http://www.lavasoft.com

QUOTE (JmuRiz @ Jan 20 2005, 08:41 AM)

I've used Spybot

Spybot - Search & Destroy ...

Andy

I've been using Spybot Search and Destroy for a couple of years and I agree, it works great.

Also, IE seems faster because it's integrated into windows. Most of the APIs it uses are already running as windows. Firefox on the other hand isn't. I think they have a little preloader that lets you do that.

Also, try these things to speed up firefox on BROADBAND:

in the address bar, type in about:config

scroll down until you see network.http.pipelining, double-click to set this to true
scroll down until you see network.pipelining.maxrequests, double-click and set this to something like 30.
scroll down until you see network.http.proxy.pipelining, set this to true.

then:

right-click anywhere in the window of settings, select New > Integer. name it nglayout.initialpaint.delay, set it to 0.

Close firefox, open it back up, and notice the speed difference in web browsing.

Brando's steps/settings will greatly enhance the experience for broadband users.

What's spyware? I ain't got no spyware.

Damn another Windows innovation that us Mac users miss out on. I WANT SPYWARE! That must be the Windows has more software argument.

Had to say something.... Steve Jobs made me do it.

Many many fewer pop-ups with Mozi. Made a significant difference for me.

I use mozilla now. im sold.
i just tried brando's suggestion...dont really notice a difference ( i hvae t3 here at school)

i also use BOTH adaware SE and SpyBot S&D

just made brando's changes, big difference for me. thanks!

just stumbled on this at cornercarver.com

maybe I should cut my DSL and just go back to AM radio

Secunia Advisory: SA12526
Release Date: 2004-09-14
Last Update: 2004-09-15


Critical:
Highly critical
Impact: Cross Site Scripting
Manipulation of data
Exposure of sensitive information
System access

Where: From remote

Solution Status: Vendor Patch


Software: Mozilla 0.x
Mozilla 1.0
Mozilla 1.1
Mozilla 1.2
Mozilla 1.3
Mozilla 1.4
Mozilla 1.5
Mozilla 1.6
Mozilla 1.7.x
Mozilla Firefox 0.x
Mozilla Thunderbird 0.x


Select a product and view a complete list of all Patched/Unpatched Secunia advisories affecting it.


Description:
Details have been released about several vulnerabilities in Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, and Thunderbird. These can potentially be exploited by malicious people to conduct cross-site scripting attacks, access and modify sensitive information, and compromise a user's system.

1) Various boundary errors in "nsMsgCompUtils.cpp" can be exploited to cause heap-based buffer overflows when a specially crafted e-mail is forwarded.

Successful exploitation can potentially lead to execution of arbitrary code.

2) Insufficient restrictions on script generated events on text fields can be exploited to read and write content from and to the clipboard.

3) Boundary errors in the "writeGroup()" function in "nsVCardObj.cpp" can be exploited to cause stack-based buffer overflows by sending an e-mail containing a specially crafted vcard.

Successful exploitation may allow execution of arbitrary code but requires that the malicious e-mail is opened in preview.

4) Some boundary errors in "nsPop3Protocol.cpp", which handles POP3 mail communication, can be exploited to cause buffer overflow by a malicious POP3 mail server when sending specially crafted responses.

Successful exploitation may potentially allow execution of arbitrary code.

5) A problem with overly long links containing a non-ASCII characters can be exploited via a malicious website or e-mail to cause a buffer overflow, which potentially can lead to execution of arbitrary code.

6) An integer overflows when parsing and displaying BMP files can potentially be exploited to execute arbitrary code by supplying an overly wide malicious BMP image via a malicious website or in an e-mail.

7) Mozilla allows dragging links to another window or frame. This can e.g be exploited by tricking a user on a malicious website to drag a specially crafted javascript link to another window.

Successful exploitation can cause script code to execute in context of that window. Further exploitation can in combination with another unspecified vulnerability lead to execution of arbitrary code.

8) Signed scripts can request enhanced privileges, which requires that a user accepts a security dialog. The problem is that a malicious website can pass a specially crafted parameter making it possible to manipulate information displayed in the security dialog.

Successful exploitation allows a website to trick users into accepting security dialogs, which will grant access to run arbitrary programs.

9) Some files installed with the Linux installer are group and world writable. This can be exploited by malicious, local users to replace files, which can lead to execution of arbitrary code.

10) Many files and directories in the Linux install ".tar.gz" archives have wrong owner and permissions. This can be exploited by malicious, local users to replace files if the umask is set to be ignored when unpacking.

Successful exploitation can lead to execution of arbitrary code.

These vulnerabilities reportedly affect versions prior to the following:
- Mozilla 1.7.3
- Firefox 1.0PR
- Thunderbird 0.8

Solution:
The vulnerabilities have reportedly been fixed in:
- Mozilla 1.7.3
- Firefox 1.0PR
- Thunderbird 0.8

Provided and/or discovered by:
1) Georgi Guninski
2) Wladimir Palant
3) Georgi Guninski
4) Gael Delalleau
5) Mats Palmgren and Gael Delalleau
6) Gael Delalleau
7) Jesse Ruderman
8) Jesse Ruderman
9) Daniel Koukola, Andrew Schultz
10) Harald Milz

Changelog:
2004-09-15: Details have been released about some more vulnerabilities. Adding 8), 9) and 10).

Original Advisory:
1) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=258005
2) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=257523
3) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=257314
4) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=245066
4) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=226669
5) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=256316
6) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=255067
7) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=250862
8) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=253942
9) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=231083
9) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=235781
10) http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254303




Please note: The information, which this Secunia Advisory is based upon, comes from third party unless stated otherwise.

Secunia collects, validates, and verifies all vulnerability reports issued by security research groups, vendors, and others.





Send Feedback to Secunia:


If you have new information regarding this Secunia advisory or a product in our database, please send it to us using either our web form or email us at vuln@secunia.com.

Ideas, suggestions, and other feedback is most welcome.





Found: 23 Related Secunia Security Advisories, displaying 10


- Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox Apple Java Plugin Tab Spoofing Vulnerability
- Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox / Mozilla Thunderbird libpng Vulnerabilities
- Mozilla / Netscape SOAPParameter Integer Overflow Vulnerability
- Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox User Interface Spoofing Vulnerability
- Mozilla / Mozilla Firefox "onunload" SSL Certificate Spoofing
- Mozilla / Firefox Certificate Store Corruption Vulnerability
- Mozilla Fails to Restrict Access to "shell:"
- Mozilla XPInstall Dialog Box Security Issue
- Multiple Browsers Frame Injection Vulnerability
- Mozilla Browser Address Bar Spoofing Weakness

Show all related advisories

I just did Brando's changes. What should I look for as far as a difference? It all seems the same to me..

On a related subject. Has anyone else had the problem of firefox.exe not unloading after you exit? On my home machine I notice sometimes when I try to shut down it throws up a dialog reporting that firefox.exe won't exit. If I look at the processes running sometimes there will be three or four firefox.exe's!

QUOTE (synthesisdv @ Jan 20 2005, 01:46 PM)

just stumbled on this at cornercarver.com maybe I should cut my DSL and just go back to AM radio Secunia Advisory: SA12526 Release Date: 2004-09-14 Last Update: 2004-09-15 Critical: Highly critical Impact: Cross Site Scripting Manipulation of data Exposure of sensitive information System access Where: From remote Solution Status: Vendor Patch Software: Mozilla 0.x Mozilla 1.0 Mozilla 1.1 Mozilla 1.2 Mozilla 1.3 Mozilla 1.4 Mozilla 1.5 Mozilla 1.6 Mozilla 1.7.x Mozilla Firefox 0.x Mozilla Thunderbird 0.x ... Edited for brevity.

Those problems were fixed prior to the formal release of Firefox 1.0.

Ive been running Firefox for over a year and have had no problems at all. If you dont configure it, its not much different than IE. I get no spyware and no popups at all. Spybot takes up the memory that IE wouldnt be using that Firefox does. That and I dont surf porn sites so I am pretty much safe. As for MAC's they use Safari which is pretty much the same as Firefox.

QUOTE (skline @ Jan 20 2005, 03:13 PM)

That and I dont surf porn sites so I am pretty much safe.

Dude,
Need I remind you, the only 2 legit reasons for the internet to exist:

Brando's suggestions helped BIG time for me. I primarily use opera because its so fast with browsing (for instance, to go "back" just right click then left click), but some sites like ESPN dont work in opera, so I got firefox.

Running Linux/Mozilla here. I made Brando's changes and the difference is stunning!