Those of us still using Firefox need to immediately update the browser to v1.0.6. The Mozilla foundation posted a "new" version last week (v.1.0.5) that was found to have serious flaws, from a security standpoint. Firefox is getting a reputation of containing just as many security holes as any other browser, which is a shame. I'm totally in favor of open-source software, and believe Internet Explorer needs a serious competitor to keep Microsoft on its toes. Hopefully, Firefox can become that browser in the near future. In the meantime, about all we can do is keep it up to date.

This link will take you to the Mozilla download page. You should see the download link at the upper-right corner.

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

It is very important that you uninstall any previous versions before the new one is installed. As an alternative, you can install v1.0.6 in a different folder than the one holding an older version, but that would have no benefits that I can see. All configuration data from previous versions, as well as any extensions you have been using, will be recognized by the new version.

Hi Shortie, I'd been told that the latest version was to cure stability issues caused by the previous (hurried) security patch, not to cure any previously undiscovered security holes. What were the security issues with 1.0.5?

radar (imported) wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:49 pm What were the security issues with 1.0.5?

Hi, Radar,

Sorry for the failure to communicate clearly. Inexcusable in a former English teacher, eh wot?

I should have written that the security issues were not with v1.0.5 itself, but rather with the way it "broke" some of the available extensions that made the browser more secure. It's that issue that's been resolved in v1.0.6. Extensions that would not function in last week's version should be just fine in the newer version.

By the way, if anyone reading this uses an extension by the name of "GreaseMonkey," you're placing yourself at immediate risk of having control of your computer given to a remote user. The author of that program is recommending that it be uninstalled immediately. A new version is available that supposedly plugs the holes in the utility, but I'm going to give it a few weeks before using it again.

Thanks for the clarification, Shortie. But now you've got me wondering what Grease Monkey does....

radar (imported) wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:14 pm Thanks for the clarification, Shortie. But now you've got me wondering what Grease Monkey does....

GreaseMonkey is an extension developed for the Firefox browser. In a nutshell, it allows a surfer to interact with a Website. It's that ability that has proved to be a vulnerable aspect of the utility, since it conversely allows a Website to interact with a user's computer. Not good.

This link will take you to a more complete explanation.

http://greasemonkey.mozdev.org/