Microsoft issuing emergency fix for browser flaw

December 16, 2008

(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. is taking the unusual step of issuing an emergency fix for a security hole in its Internet Explorer software that has exposed millions of users to having their computers taken over by hackers.

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• earls - Dec 16, 2008
  • Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
  Just desserts for users of that garbage.
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• brant - Dec 16, 2008
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  One word-Firefox....
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• Velanarris - Dec 17, 2008
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  One word-Firefox....

  
  
  Unless you're at work.
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• D666 - Dec 17, 2008
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  One word-Firefox....

  
  
  I remember when the linux community bragged about how much more secure linux is (and it actually is, so don't get twisted) based on the massive difference in the number of exploits between windoze and linux. I also remember the old apple commercials, with Justin Long as Apple and Some Guy as PC, where PC would bemoan his security flaws.. Oh, wait. They're still running those. Despite the fact that Apple is very quietly releasing patch after patch, and linux is getting up there in known exploits.
  
  Being too small a target to bother with is a very poor security model, especially if you suddenly find yourself becoming successful.
  
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• physpuppy - Dec 17, 2008
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  Being too small a target to bother with is a very poor security model, especially if you suddenly find yourself becoming successful.
  

  
  
  Agreed that security by obscurity, while it can work for a while, is not a good model.
  
  Assuming that the reason for few exploits is obscurity, what is critical market share that would affect security?
  
  AFAIK, there are only a few viruses and trojans for OSX, most if not all are proof of concept. Apple currently has approximately 8% market share.
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• earls - Dec 17, 2008
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  Thumb drive it, Velanarris.
  
  Agreed, that it's hard to argue that Firefox, Linux or OSX would be as "secure" as they are if they carried the "burden" of such a large market share that Microsoft does... (Feel free to relinquish it at any time MS)
  
  But I think Firefox and Linux do have a distinct advantage when it comes to security due to being open source.
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