[dln159]

Just had a major malware hassle and never want to live through that again! Would changing browsers (currently using IE) help? If so, any recomendations for free ones that work well and maybe are not so vulnerable? Thanks.

[Advertisements]

Hi there,

Yes changing browsers can do the trick because it stops active-x and Javascript and such things from running.

I would suggest that you use Firefox.

Any Question Please Feel Free To Ask

[cleverboy12]

Hi there,

Yes changing browsers can do the trick because it stops active-x and Javascript and such things from running.

I would suggest that you use Firefox.

Any Question Please Feel Free To Ask

[dln159]

Thanks. I just downloaded Firefox and am, in fact, viewin this post with it. It seems good so far. I downloaded the beta for 1.5. If you are an expert I will take you up on your offer of help if/ when questions come up.

Thanks again!

P.S. How do u get those cute icons to appear in the post?

[cleverboy12]

Ok Good that you get it working !

To Get the icons of you have to find a little logo and left click, go to properties copy the url into your signiture and highlight it then click on the IMG tab on there.

Tell me how you get on !

[pip22]

Don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm for Firefox -- I've used it myself. but some popular plugins (flash, shockwave, realplayer) are a pain to get to work in firefox -- some don't work at all. With IE they just install automatically and work. If you don't need them -- well I guess your certainly better off with FF, though I have to say I prefer IE and I haven't been 'zapped' yet in over 6 years. I keep my av up to date, run several spyware blockers and a utility to block known malicious threats.

[cleverboy12]

well if you stay away from advertising with IE and only do things that you trust and dont run ActiveX scripts then your about 90% safe !

[wargod2293]

Don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm for Firefox -- I've used it myself. but some popular plugins (flash, shockwave, realplayer) are a pain to get to work in firefox -- some don't work at all. With IE they just install automatically and work. If you don't need them -- well I guess your certainly better off with FF, though I have to say I prefer IE and I haven't been 'zapped' yet in over 6 years. I keep my av up to date, run several spyware blockers and a utility to block known malicious threats.

I dont know what you mean about problems with plugins. I have had a bit of trouble getting quicktime to work but everything else I had no trouble at all.

And firefox is much much better than ie. It practically eliminates the need for an external popup blocker.

[dln159]

Yeah I was good for about 6 years too, until about two weeks ago. Now I'm battle weary! So I'll try Firefox.

[Dragon]

Don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm for Firefox -- I've used it myself. but some popular plugins (flash, shockwave, realplayer) are a pain to get to work in firefox -- some don't work at all. With IE they just install automatically and work. If you don't need them -- well I guess your certainly better off with FF, though I have to say I prefer IE and I haven't been 'zapped' yet in over 6 years. I keep my av up to date, run several spyware blockers and a utility to block known malicious threats.

I've never had any problem running flash, shockwave, realplayer or quicktime in FF. if you have 1.0.6 most of those bugs are now worked out. and believe it or not most of those bugs were incompatible because of the makers of the programs not Mozilla.org

[Johanna]

Just don't be lulled into a false sense of security thinking you are safe from malware by using FF, because it isn't true. I have to agree that FF can be inconvenient to use efficiently at times, and I don't care whether it's FF, or us amateur webmasters, making the web page errors. When I click, I expect results, and IE delivers the net consistently. Using FF for security instead of personal preference might be an exercise in frustration.
Johanna

[Dragon]

Just don't be lulled into a false sense of security thinking you are safe from malware by using FF, because it isn't true.  I have to agree that FF can be inconvenient to use efficiently at times, and I don't care whether it's FF, or us amateur webmasters, making the web page errors.  When I click, I expect results, and IE delivers the net consistently. Using FF for security instead of personal preference might be an exercise in frustration.
Johanna

This I will agree with completely. I"ve said it before and I will probably say it til I die. the only 100% guaranteed way to keep you computer from being infected is to disconnect from the internet.

to give you an example, there was an exploit, you can read it at http://TomCoyote.org/Theory/, through a java applet install that I helped uncover. in a nutshell what it did was use the java applet to circumnavigate FF and hit IE. Which, as many people may or may not know, is the main backbone for Windows. Quite a few infections out there now attack not just Internet Explorer, but they can attack and harm your main windows install. They do this by infecting IE which in turn attacks Windows in general. and yes they can get around alternate browsers too.

[Thef0rce]

well no browser really is completely safe. the reason we're seeing so many new security holes in firefox has to be in part due to the rising popularity. it's beginning to challenge IE these days. I think people just have to remember to keep their wits about them online but this is true of anything in life really.

I've never had problems with flash and quicktime in firefox. it seems to have taken nicely to the quicktime install I had on my system and flash only took a few minutes to download. they could really work on java support in linux though.

[Rawe]

I have had no problems with FF this far.. Flash, shockwave, Realplayer and quicktime works as they should be - as does the rest of the plugins (well, I don't know if all of them does, but at least the ones I use.)

Just don't be lulled into a false sense of security thinking you are safe from malware by using FF, because it isn't true. I have to agree that FF can be inconvenient to use efficiently at times, and I don't care whether it's FF, or us amateur webmasters, making the web page errors. When I click, I expect results, and IE delivers the net consistently. Using FF for security instead of personal preference might be an exercise in frustration.

Gotta disagree.

I use it for security and personal preference both. It's working just perfectly. I know.. No browser is perfect, but at least it's better than IE.
And that's what I'm looking for

[dln159]

Well I just tried to install Flash and it didn't work. Unless I gave up too soon. Anyway I really don't care about the plug ins too much. I can always use IE on the rare occasions I need to see what they are showing.

So far I swear FF is loading pages faster and is just as easy to use. Plus I've taken one more element of my life out of the hands of Bill Gates, so that makes me smile.

[Rawe]

Plus I've taken one more element of my life out of the hands of Bill Gates, so that makes me smile.

That's the right attitude..