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| Users of the Firefox web browser are being warned
of critical security vulnerabilities. |
Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global
network of virus and spam analysis centres, have warned businesses
and home users of the Mozilla Firefox web browser of two serious
security holes in the software. The vulnerabilities are considered
critical as code demonstrating how they can be exploited has been
published on the internet.
The Mozilla Foundation is said to be "working aggressively" to
fix the problems, which could allow malicious code to be run on an
innocent user's computer. Until a fixed version of the web browser
is available, Mozilla is recommending that Firefox users disable
Javascript in their browser.
"Firefox is increasing in popularity as a web browser, meaning
its users will be targeted by more hackers in the future. News of
these vulnerabilities, and the lack of any fix for users, will have
jaundiced some of the recent celebrations of Firefox's 50 millionth
download," said Graham
Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "With
organised crime increasingly attempting to steal from innocent
users through viruses, phishing attacks and spyware, no-one can
afford to rest on their laurels when it comes to security."
Last month 16% of visitors to Sophos's website at www.sophos.com
were using the Firefox web browser. The Firefox web browser has
proven increasingly popular as an alternative to Internet Explorer,
after a long history of attacks targeting users of the Microsoft
product.
"All internet users should realise that it's not just users of
Microsoft products who are targets for hackers and malicious code,"
continued Cluley.
More information about the vulnerabilities can be found on
Mozilla's website.
Sophos continues to recommend computer users practise safe computing as well as running
up-to-date anti-virus software.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.