So there's a big fat security hole in Internet Explorer (all versions) and the German government wants us all to use alternative browsers so that the Web doesn't end...

[nighbynight]

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8463516.stm

I have just downloaded Opera (been meaning to for ages), does anyone know how to get my Favourites list from IE into Opera without adding them one by one? Opera seems to store favrourites in a proprietary data file.

firefox has very fab met office weather gadget that you can add

Nymphadora - yes there's no committing involved, you're just downloading another package onto your computer that you can browse the internet with. Go for it!

You could even (for example) have both Internet Explorer and Firefox running simultaneously should you so wish, and browse Mumsnet on both.

If you decide you don't like the new one, you just uninstall it.

Installing should be easy, and is free - links to three free browsers here:

Safari

Firefox

Google Chrome

Riven - you may find that Facebook works better if you use one of these (haven't researched this though).

I've just downloaded Chrome, but I am not sure what is supposed to be wrong with IE!

Basically IE is riddled with security holes, IE6 most of all.

If you access a cleverly crafted web site with Internet Explorer 6 the web site can drop files onto your computer and, to an extent, take over your machine. The machine contacts some other machine on the internet, sends it a lot of information from your machine and then seems to pretty much ask "what else do you want me to do".

This most recent method in particular was behind the "attacks" on Google in China but is also more generally how people can steal bank details or use your machine to send out spam emails for them.

Even IE7 and IE8 have this vulnerability, though apparently it might "just" crash the machine instead of rolling over and giving the keys to your machine to some hacker.

So basically don't use Internet Explorer if you can at all help it.

If there are some sites, often internal company web sites, that need IE then use it only for those.

There is a new critical update for IE which is probably to sort out the security issue though I didn't have the time to investigate it.
I think Opera is probably the best of the alternatives, but they all have problems. Lots of shopping sites won't work with opera so you have to revert to IE.

It's the same problem as with Firefox. It's all very well them saying that the new browsers work correctly, but the sites were all made to work with IE and it's odd behaviour.

For opera you can add a button for "view in IE" which conveniently opens it inside Opera but using IE to handle it.

View in IE button There are several, but the top one is updated to work with Opera 10.

There is a link there to also download the Neptune plugin to make it work.

Microsoft have said that they will fix it, but they haven't said when and certainly haven't done it yet.

"Usually" they release patches on the second Tuesday of a month, though they do make exceptions.

So who knows when this will be fixed....

Microsoft's big response seems to have been tell people to upgrade to Windows 7 and newer versions of IE... Which still have the same bug, even if it appears it can't be exploited to such a devastating degree.

Personally I have very little trouble with Opera and for the occasions when I do I flip to using Firefix.

I'm not sure how those "view in IE" plugins works. If they're still running any of the IE code to get the job done they might have the same vulnerabilities as IE itself does.

Oh they would have the same vulnerability so you'd still have to get it patched.

But usually you'd only use the 'view in IE' for specific and important sites that failed in opera. Sometimes just the one page like a checkout.

As for them fixing it there was a critical update that seemed to be just a day or so old on Windows Update. It may or may not be for this.

I dont understand the report that an IE6 vuln was exploited to attack Google, though - why on earth would any Google employee have IE6 on their computer?

In case anyone doesn't know: French govt is also recommending switching browsers from IE. British apparently will not follow suit (it is not their style, I guess, and the govt is probably pretty solidly on IE itself).

I am thinking of trying Chrome, have read some good reviews of it. And while Firefox is a good viewing experience, it does take ages to load.

I have used Firefox/ Mozilla for years.

Screw IE

nighbynight, not sure, but I think they meant that Chinese citizens using IE6 were hacked.

So if you still have IE on your computer are you at risk? We used to use IE and still have it loaded but always use Firefox now. Should I get rid of IE?

No, only if you use it. I would leave it on, in case you get a website that works better with it. Also, a few years ago, you couldn't uninstall it, unless you did it yourself via deleting Registry keys etc. Not sure if its different now.

onagar, I understood that the hackers had got control of Google employee computers, to access the Google network (but maybe I got it wrong).

"onagar, I understood that the hackers had got control of Google employee computers, to access the Google network (but maybe I got it wrong)."

That's the story that I heard, Google machines were running IE6 and were compromised.

As to why they have them, well it might have been for compatibility testing. Or I've also heard a theory that they had to use them to access certain Chinese Government web sites to do with the censorship they were doing for them.

Which would be nicely ironic

Buda, don't worry about uninstalling it and as nighbynight says I'm not sure if you even really can. MS made a huge song and dance a few years ago about how IE was an essential and un-removable part of the Operating System and have historically made un-installing it very very tricky.

The most recent version is, I believe, meant to have an un-install but it more than likely just deletes a few files and not the whole thing roots and all.

Leave it there, just don't use it.

There is apparently going to be a critical fix for the problem released tomorrow. MS appear to have realised that this isn't the time to be using the problem to advertise newer versions of their programs and have decided to break their normal fix cycle and release something urgently.

Hi all,

First post here.

I would strongly recommend Safari for either windows or mac. Secure and trouble-free. And free to download from www.apple.com

Have a lust after their other stuff while you're there!

Hello all, my first post here.

Yes- if you're still using Internet Explorer- DON'T!

There's no excuse, just get yourself another, invariably better, browser for free. If you're using Windows, you've got enough to worry about without a dodgy, archaic web browser...

I strongly recommend Safari from www.apple.com

(have a lust at their other fab stuff while you're there!)

Be sure to download the version for your operating system.

When you start it up, you'll be asked if you'd like to import all your bookmarks and settings from your old browser- very helpful!

Then throw IE in the bin and relax.

(looks like my friend, the Mac enthusiast, just typed without setting up a new account)...

Webdude, are you and your friend sitting around reading Mumsnet?

I believe IE is required for Windows auto update.

JJ - I came across MN because of a discussion on Pedants' Corner (about the 020 code for London) but my Mac-loving friend must have come across MN when I was staying overnight at his home, as I was browsing on his Mac PowerBook.

His daughter (baby due in a couple of months) may well find topics of interest though, outside of Geeky Stuff (where I sometimes lurk).

Ah ha - sorry for the abruptness of the question. I had this image of two guys huddled over the computer discussing posts. I'd find it strange if women did that, too, now that I think of it.

Congrats to your friend and hope the birth goes well. I'm a Mac person, too. It makes parenting easier, y'know. Ok, maybe not.

LOL on a Mac making parenting easier!

"two guys huddled over the computer discussing posts" - errrmmm, no, it must have been just one browser tab left on MN by mistake...

My net access is less than daily at present (used to be 18+ hours a day before an enforced house move) but I tend to read web/ IT/ electronics discussions and chip in when I can.