Firefox: Web's Most Insecure Browser?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Application security vendor Cenzic today released its security trends report for the first half of 2009 application. In it, Cenzic claims that the Mozilla's Firefox browser led the field of Web browsers in terms of total vulnerabilities.

According to Cenzic, Firefox accounted for 44 percent of all browser vulnerabilities reported in the first half of 2009. In contrast, Apple's Safari had 35 percent of all reported browser vulnerability, Microsoft's Internet Explorer was third at 15 percent and Opera had just six percent share.

The 2009 figures stand in contrast to Cenzic's Q3/Q4 2008 report, where IE accounted for 43 percent of all reported Web browser vulnerabilities and Firefox followed closely at 39 percent.

As to why Firefox's numbers were so high, Cenzic has a few ideas.

"It's a combination of different things," Lars Ewe, CTO of Cenzic, told InternetNews.com. "They've gotten more traction as a browser, which is good for them and the more you get used the more exposure you have. As well a fair amount of the vulnerabilities have come by way of plug-ins."

One key area that Ewe said was responsible for a number of reported Firefox vulnerabilities is with how the browser handles plug-ins.

More here

[skysidhe]

Disable this plug in for sure.

"The reason is that .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installs a 'Windows Presentation Foundation' plug-in in Firefox."

http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic..._users_at_risk

This is an easier read for me.
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=2522


Add on block list

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/blocklist/

http://i.imgur.com/8pct5.png

[dar512]

A misleading headline.

Though Firefox had the highest number of vulnerabilities, that doesn't necessarily mean that Firefox users were more vulnerable.

This has been my experience. I have only ever had problems with IE. Never had any with Firefox.

[skysidhe]

It was one of the reasons I had Opera but it was almost too secure?
It wasn't compatible with some other things I was using and being a lazy about configuring Opera I decided to try Firefox again.
I enjoy it a lot!

[footfootfoot]

I am about to try Chrome. Opera may get another shot. FF was fun while it lasted, the endlessly loading pages is driving me to distraction. (It's actually walking distance)

[toranokaze]

I'm not doing Chrome. I want at least one thing I'm using not to be owned by Google. No offense, praise be to Google.

[spudcon]

Originally Posted by dar512

A misleading headline.



This has been my experience. I have only ever had problems with IE. Never had any with Firefox.

I second that. Since I've been using Firefox, I haven't had any problems. Almost daily problems when I used IE.