Stop using Internet Explorer, warns Microsoft's own security chief

[pjohns]

I use Internet Explorer as my primary browser.

However, I also have Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. (I am now on Chrome.)

[BabyBoomer+]

I use Internet Explorer as my primary browser.

However, I also have Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. (I am now on Chrome.)

Are you mad? thats like handing out copies of your house keys at a pop festival. IE has more security holes than a prison made of swiss cheese

[Coolwalker]

I use Slimjet that works on Chromes engine but uses less resources.

Fastest web browser that blocks all ads and protects your privacy - Slimjet

[ruthless terrier]

been using desktop Firefox since 2006. the only reason I would use Internet Explorer would be to fix web app problems that only happen with Internet Explorer.

[pjohns]

Are you mad? thats like handing out copies of your house keys at a pop festival. IE has more security holes than a prison made of swiss cheese

I would not pretend to be an expert on this subject--I certainly am not--but I am curious: Just what information might be (supposedly, at least) at risk, with IE 11?

Note: I have been using Internet Explorer since the early 1990s, when I first got a computer; so it is certainly not new to me. About two or three years ago, I had my computer guru install Chrome and Firefox also, so that I would have some backup browsers, in case anything might go wrong. But Firefox loads very slowly; and neither has quite the same look that I am accustomed to (which may be a purely subjective thing).

[BabyBoomer+]

I would not pretend to be an expert on this subject--I certainly am not--but I am curious: Just what information might be (supposedly, at least) at risk, with IE 11?

Its full of 'holes' - exploitable security defects that allow various attacks to take place, such as the insertion of malicious code that allows data to be extracted from the machine, or permits the machine to be used for other purposes undetected by the user.

for example, a Chinese antivirus firm Qihoo 360 has found a "zero-day exploit" which as yet remains unpatched, and is apparently being utilised by a group of hackers at a global level. This group is apparently leveraging the exploit using malicious Office documents. When said document is opened, it fires up a web page in the background of Internet Explorer, which subsequently facilitates the transmission of malware from a remote server. The host PC is then infected.


The exact details haven’t been made clear, but it seems that this attack employs a well-known User Account Control bypass – to get round any warning pop-up messages which might alert the user that something bad might be about to happen – and also clever file steganography techniques (stealthily hiding files within files).


This isnt the only one.

Microsoft releases security update for new IE zero-day | ZDNet

[Jen]

I use the old IE just for messing around on the web, won't 'sign-in' to anything with it.

It still works, but oddly enough - within the last few days I've gotten a 'pop-up' saying something about using a modern browser to view/use the site.

I have never liked IE or how it works. So years ago..........many years ago.......I switched to Mozilla Firefox and that's all I use. Tried Chrome but didn't like it. I don't know if Firefox is safe, but it's the one I like.

[BabyBoomer+]

I have never liked IE or how it works. So years ago..........many years ago.......I switched to Mozilla Firefox and that's all I use. Tried Chrome but didn't like it. I don't know if Firefox is safe, but it's the one I like.

I use firefox, but with NoScript addon, so i can control what java and XSS is running. Chrome is useful, cos it autotranslates spanish pages for me. I also use TOR, because most of the intersting internet is on the Deep Web on onion sites.