Mozilla has released version 2.0.0.2 of its Firefox web browser,
fixing security vulnerabilities.
Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global
network of virus and spam analysis centers, have advised businesses
and home users to update their copies of the Mozilla Firefox web
browser, in order to protect against a number of critical security
flaws which could be exploited by hackers to run malicious code on
victims' computers.
"It's critical that Firefox users keep themselves updated to
protect against software vulnerabilities. Firefox users cannot fool
themselves into thinking that security is just a problem for
Microsoft products," said Graham Cluley, senior
technology consultant for Sophos. "It makes sense for all computer
users to remain alert about the latest security flaws, and ensure
they are running the latest patched version of their chosen
internet browser."
More information about version 2.0.0.2 of Firefox, and details
of the security issues it claims to fix, can be found on Mozilla's
website.
"It has been much more common for hackers to target users of
Microsoft Internet Explorer than Firefox, but that doesn't mean
that Firefox users should stick their heads in the sand about
security," continued Cluley. "Mozilla will stop releasing security
and stability updates for Firefox 1.5 in April, so there really are
no excuses for not upgrading to the latest edition of version
2.0."
The release of Firefox 2.0.0.2 comes just as news of other, as
yet unpatched, vulnerabilities in the web browser have been made
public. Firefox's share of the web browsing market is said to have
recently dropped slightly in percentage terms, as Internet Explorer
and Safari have climbed in popularity.
In January, Sophos published
its Security Threat Report 2007, which revealed the increasing use
of the web as a vector for malicious attacks by hackers. The report
can be downloaded from the Sophos website:
Sophos continues to recommend computer users practise safe computing as well as running
up-to-date protection against viruses,
spyware, and other malicious attacks.
More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage, deploy and use and that deliver the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.