German and French governments warn against using MS Explorer

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ (about Germany), http://news.bbc.co.uk/ (about France).

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The warning from the Federal Office for Information Security comes after Microsoft admitted IE was the weak link in recent attacks on Google's systems.

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On Friday, Germany's Federal Office for Information Security issued a warning against all versions of Internet Explorer and recommended that users switch to an alternative such as Firefox or Google's Chrome.
The French agency Certa issued a similar warning.
"Pending a patch from the publisher, Certa recommends using an alternative browser," it said.
But Mr Evans said that calls to change browsers were "not very helpful".
"If you look at other browsers, it's likely they will have other vulnerabilities," he said.
He pointed to a report by security from NSS Labs reportedly showing that IE8 provided better security against phishing and malware than other browsers.
"We feel strongly that IE8 is most secure browser on the market," Mr Evans told BBC News.
His advice was echoed by Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos.
"Switching away will get away from this particular problem," he told BBC News. "But all browsers have security flaws."
Mr Cluley said that switching away from IE may create other problems, particularly for companies.
"Some web-based applications may not work at all if you're not using Internet Explorer."
Microsoft is currently working on a patch for the problem, but a spokesperson said it could not commit to a timeframe.
The firm traditionally releases a security update once a month - the next scheduled patch will be ready on 9 February.

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It looks like IE is going downhill faster than expected! If you haven't moved then it's about time! :D
Just... why no mention of Opera? I suppose it's not really popular... :(

What's the best alternative?

Depends on your personal preferences I guess... The second most popular browser is Firefox, also probably is the most secure if you use AdBlock and NoScript.

Thanks, Zalbard, I'll give the Firefox a try. :wave:

yeah all about firefox these days :) got most my mates using it now, hell evven my parents

Explorer really is a pretty secure browser, the issue is that it's such a target. Although FF does have a large market share, IE is still (for many good reasons) a corporate standard and the choice of 98% of all uneducated computer users (who, being uneducated in computers, don't really know of alternatives or when/why to use them)... eg. the two best target groups. Plus by finding a bug you get to take a poke at the gigantic MS corporation, which sounds more fun than poking at Mozilla, but that's just icing on the cake.

i use google chrome.

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Originally Posted by zalbard

Just... why no mention of Opera? I suppose it's not really popular... :(

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How could it be popular? Opera simply doesn't work properly with many websites and if you look at all the proprietary applications in companies running in browsers pretty much nothing works. (and no, to the user it doesnt matter if its the fault of the websites being coded to work with ie instead of adhering to standards, if it doesnt work its broken, no matter who is at fault).
Besides that, there is no advertising that reaches people who don't know about it yet, lets face it firefox would have no more marketshare now than opera without the massive advertising it had on google in the days before chrome.

Opera doesnt need much resources, I had it running significantly faster on my old PII 400MHz than IE 6 did.

Chrome is my primary browser, firefox just feels so sluggish now

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Originally Posted by naokaji

How could it be popular? Opera simply doesn't work properly with many websites and if you look at all the proprietary applications in companies running in browsers pretty much nothing works.

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That might have been close to the truth over five years ago, but nowadays Opera works like a charm. Opera came a long way from 7 to 10. ;)

Wait. This makes no sense, why would google waste their time with IE? They already have chrome, which is significantly faster and lighter, not to mention safer.

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Originally Posted by Bodkin

Chrome is my primary browser, firefox just feels so sluggish now

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Yep same. chrome is so fast.

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Originally Posted by Cuthalu

That might have been close to the truth over five years ago, but nowadays Opera works like a charm. Opera came a long way from 7 to 10. ;)

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No, he is right. I use Opera as my primary browser and love it but there are quite a few websites that don't work properly with Opera.

I would use Chrome if it had Quake Live support and AdblockPlus.

funny that they now list chrome as suggested browser when they warned for chrome a year ago as well :rolleyes: (the reason was that it had more security flaws than IE and FF together and due to the unique id chrome uses for every user...).

Firefox FTW. But do you really need to have your government tell you that IE is crap?

I use Chrome to do the light surfing, but for some things Firefox is still better because of Addons like Flashgot, Autopager, DownloadHelper, Illimitux or SkipScreen. It may change now, with time more Addons will be ported. Download Manager in Chrome is a joke as it is now too. Hell I can't even see the ETA, pause, restart or retry DLs.

I prefer Chrome's way to open new Tabs next to its parent (you can use FoxTabs for this, but I found it was too much hassle, too many options), but OTOH I prefer the way to reopen recently closed tabs in Firefox (I'm a keyboard user, Alt+s, up, right, enter :D)

Chrome loading time is way faster than FF (even without any Addons), it is what Firefox used to be. It's much faster than IE8 too.

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Originally Posted by Luka_Aveiro

I would use Chrome if it had Quake Live support and AdblockPlus.

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My QuakeLive tag is "Mumps", add me if you want some frags :)

I used Firefox until about 2 months ago, when my friend got me to use Chrome. Man this :banana::banana::banana::banana: is FAST. Only 2 complaints I have are 1. Needs better printing options, and more of their functions actually showing up in the menu at the right. 2. Some websites still don't work with it.

Chrome is very fast. FF is what i use though simply due to the addons and the themes. You can make it look exactly how you want it to.

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Originally Posted by Cuthalu

That might have been close to the truth over five years ago, but nowadays Opera works like a charm. Opera came a long way from 7 to 10. ;)

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Yes hes right. I use Opera as my primary browser and some stuff just doesn't work correctly. Go to http://revision3.com/ and try to watch anything. Also Hulu has been messing up big time lately while IE8 works.

When Opera gets real support, there is no question in my mind it will become the best browser in the world. They probably should advertise more.

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Originally Posted by BababooeyHTJ

No, he is right. I use Opera as my primary browser and love it but there are quite a few websites that don't work properly with Opera.

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Opera is also my primary browser. It's excellent ;)

Luckily it has problems with very few.

When I first started using Opera, you had to pay for it. It's been my primary browser since. However, I still can't completely uninstall IE because of the reason others mentioned above. Such a shame. It's is such a great browser.

I guess someone forgot to stuff a couple envelopes with cash for some officials. tsk tsk :clap:

I think browsers like Lunascape6 are the future, multiple rendering engines & you can pick the one you want for whatever job you're doing. Right now you can render using Gecko, Webkit & Trident in Lunascape6

This is news? :rofl: I use IE Tab in FF if i have any problems, never really tried chrome but FF is fast for me after switching DNS.

I don't think this got too much to do with IE. Any other browser with such a big marked share would get the same hit. No connects computer is secure these days, independent of the browser!

The only secure computer is a disconnected one, believe me kids, I've been in this branch for a long time.

I believe this got much to the with EU attitude, and tired IT-advisors on government pay role, advising some tired politicians which most of them needs help from the grandchildren to turn on their computers, against M$ monopoly. I hope those tired people consider the effect on the business side too.

I use Opera since 8 version and have no problems last 2 years+. If something suddenly don't work properly (it happens once a year quarter), there is still IE on every computer. It don't hurt to use IE for one page from time to time, really.

But I personally have not so good experiences running today browsers on very old machines (PII and older), usually due to memory. Maxthon or K-Meleon is good for 'em.

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Originally Posted by Sam_oslo

I don't think this got too much to do with IE. Any other browser with such a big marked share would get the same hit.

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QFT, its the same thing as with the whole Macs are safer argument, noone bothers hacking them due to their low marketshare and not due to their supposed security.

Who cares? Internet Explorer is a POS browser, nobody should use it. After IE6 I just lost all hope for Internet Explorer. IE7 sucked balls and IE8 isn't any better.

IE is too slow.

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Originally Posted by Chrono Detector

Who cares? Internet Explorer is a POS browser, nobody should use it. After IE6 I just lost all hope for Internet Explorer. IE7 sucked balls and IE8 isn't any better.

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LOL ... it is the best browser for pc's actually. Fast + secure.

To people saying it's slow to load are you joking? It loads instantly, literally. How can you even complain about that!

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Originally Posted by Mechromancer

Yes hes right. I use Opera as my primary browser and some stuff just doesn't work correctly. Go to http://revision3.com/ and try to watch anything. Also Hulu has been messing up big time lately while IE8 works.

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I just tested and Revision3 works with Opera 9 and 10, so what's the problem? :confused: Maybe there's something wrong with your flashplayer? Hulu seems to be working aswell, but I can't watch the actual videos because I don't live in the States.

I haven't encountered any significant problems for a long time. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by AliG

Wait. This makes no sense, why would google waste their time with IE? They already have chrome, which is significantly faster and lighter, not to mention safer.

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The reason has been mentioned, legacy applications which wouldn't work on a standards compliant browser, prior to IE 8 MS didn't have one. During the time of IE 5 and 6 MS really dominated the browser market so web applications were written for IE 5 and 6 using proprietary methods.

I have used Firefox for around 4 years and with AdBlock/NoScript/CSLite a Javascript debugger and a few other useful plug-ins it is very fast. What's more one doesn't have to wait months for a critical flaw to be fixed.

What maybe even more worrying to those that use 16bit applications on any Windows 32 bit platform is this:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01...scalation_bug/

Although the article does not say exploit code is in the wild

firefox is like 0.001 slower than chrome loading a page, really people.

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Originally Posted by AliG

Wait. This makes no sense, why would google waste their time with IE? They already have chrome, which is significantly faster and lighter, not to mention safer.

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Group Policy

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Originally Posted by naokaji

QFT, its the same thing as with the whole Macs are safer argument, noone bothers hacking them due to their low marketshare and not due to their supposed security.

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No, it's not the same. Unix (on which Mac OS is based) IS more secure. That's a well-proven fact.

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Originally Posted by GoldenTiger

LOL ... it is the best browser for pc's actually. Fast + secure.

To people saying it's slow to load are you joking? It loads instantly, literally. How can you even complain about that!

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Speed or security isn't IE's biggest issue. Web standards support however is, and although they've come far since IE6, it's still nowhere close to where it should be. Nobody should be using that crap.

Don't lump the German government report in with the French one. If you actually read the German posting, they are just recommending people use an alternative browser until Microsoft issues a fix for the recently publicized security flaw.

They are not advocating everyone stop using IE altogether permanently.

Not that I like IE over Firefox, but the English speaking media is reporting it a little wrong.

https://www.bsi.bund.de/cln_183/Cont...IE_150110.html

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Originally Posted by kgk

Don't lump the German government report in with the French one.

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My bad. Want me to edit the OP and the title?

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Originally Posted by zalbard

My bad. Want me to edit the OP and the title?

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Doesn't really bother me personally, just didn't want you to give the pro-IE people any ammunition. ;)

The text on the BSI's site says basically "Due to [the aforementioned facts], the BSI recommends users switch to an alternative browser until Microsoft releases a patch."

Not your fault. The English media is translating it as "Government sanctioned abandonment of Internet Explorer, ZOMGWTFBBQ!!!!1one!!" :rolleyes:

I use opera and didnt really like the UI for chrome as much.

Speeddial is too useful, I dont know if Chrome has it yet, but I prefer the 12 clickies on my homepage.

Firefox bites on laptops though

It has bugs that tend to run a core at full speed when you've got a few tabs open. Which kills battery life of course.

Also it doesnt like resuming from sleep, memory usage grows and responsiveness drops noticeably.

If it weren't for the extensions, FF would be a waste of time.

Of course these issues won't faze people using desktops or with their laptops plugged in all the time.

Really gotta switch to opera one of these days. Probably find something a bit sucky there too, but my browsing experience will still probably be better for it.

Firefox is good enough for me, I've got enough cores and memory that I don't care how much it eats. Prism makes FF even better :)

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On Friday, Germany's Federal Office for Information Security issued a warning against all versions of Internet Explorer and recommended that users switch to an alternative such as Firefox or Google's Chrome.

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Get out of here, they recommend to switch from usual thief's to a corporate thief like Google. If you like Google Chrome engine, you could use the alternatives made on it, alternatives that don't share your personal information with google like: ChromePlus or SRWare Iron... and yes, I know Google pretty much owns the internet and all the information will eventually pass on their servers, but at least those are general showing only the sites address, can't show the extra details...