German government warns against using MS Explorer

[Nick29]

do you swap browser

No Steve, us IE8 users will carry on using our 'unsafe browser' and completely ignore the paranoid hysteria surrounding this over-the-top story. 

Quite.   And before anyone can hack this IE8 browser, it has to get through my firewall first 

[Jamjar]

Just used this to check my connection: http://www.speedtest.net/index.php?nojs=1

Gave my $79.99, ADSL, Telstra connection a 2.6/5 rating.

Go Telstra! 

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

I use Firefox because I like the layout of it.

However, it has a problem opening large PDF files and I always have to use IE 8 to open them. So, it's useful having both.

Jamjar

[stevieuk]

First Germany now France, who next?

France joins Germany warning against Internet Explorer

France has echoed calls by the German government for web users to find an alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) to protect security.

Certa, a government agency that oversees cyber threats, warned against using all versions of the web browser.

Link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8465038.stm

[downside]

So far, Microsoft "has not seen widespread customer impact, rather only targeted and limited attacks exploiting Internet Explorer 6".

Cliff Evans, head of security and privacy, said that so far the firm had only seen malicious code that targeted the older version of its browser, IE6.

"The risk is minimal," he said.

I like they way they say don't use Internet Explorer - but they don't recommend an alternative browser either. 

It's like watching Dumb and Dumber.

I admire Microsoft's laidback approach - they might release a patch on 9th February but we are not committing ourselves at this stage.

[stevieuk]

This bit is obviously the best advice  Given that HM Government seems to have had very little success where anything IT is concerned....

The UK government had said that it would not issue a similar warning. However, it said the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI)was "monitoring the situation" and would "publish further advice if the risks change".

Confidence inspiring stuff.... 

[falcybe]

Another warning.... from PC world 

dont_kill_the_messenger_blaming_ie_for_attacks_is_dangerous
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07vw/

Thank-you, Downside for confirming a few posts up that what I had read in Wiki was not too clever 

cheers, falcybe

[downside]

Has no one been tempted to to mention this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8469632.stm

[RJ_Paton]

A patch was bound to come along - even if only to assuage those gullible enough to fall for the original hype as the publicity was probably more damaging than the original flaw.