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Microsoft has been tampering with your Firefox browser to make it less secure!

  • 06-06-2009 10:35am
    #1
    probe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭


    Microsoft has been fiddling with Firefox secretly, to allow websites to install software (which could be malware) on your PC without your permission. The *astards used Windowsupdate to install an extension to Firefox!

    To disable Microsoft's malware backdoor from Firefox, (in Firefox) go to:

    Tools > Add-ons > Extensions> Microsoft.net Framework assistant > and click Disable. Re-start your Firefox browser.

    Microsoft have unhelpfully greyed out the uninstall button for this extension. If you want to uninstall it completely consult http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=963707

    Of course there is nothing to stop Microsoft installing it again, or doing whatever else they like. Microsoft OWN your machine, if you run Windows!


Comments

  • #2
    Nietzschean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,314 ✭✭✭Nietzschean


    the extension just enables http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClickOnce

    thats all a bit jumping the gun, the .Net stuff it allows is more like java applets, and you have to allow them to run. it doesn't allow something like malware to be installed, and is more no more in-secure than half the security issues that show up for FF/IE....


  • #3
    probe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭probe


    Nietzschean wrote: »
    the extension just enables http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClickOnce

    thats all a bit jumping the gun, the .Net stuff it allows is more like java applets, and you have to allow them to run. it doesn't allow something like malware to be installed, and is more no more in-secure than half the security issues that show up for FF/IE....

    1) Microsoft shouldn't be fiddling with software you have installed on your machine without your specific prior consent.

    2) Why allow websites to install anything on your PC? It could be a keystroke logging "applet" or form part of a system to deploy a keystroke logger on your machine - to call home after capturing your Maestro card number, expiry date and "security code"! Clean out your current account.... [In case you might think "I don't have a Maestro card, so my current account is safe" from Chinese/Russian hackers etc.... every "Laser" card is really a Maestro card, mis-named by the Irish banks. It is no different to signing a blank direct debit form, which can be used at virtually any bank on the planet].

    3) There are anti-competitive issues in what Microsoft did. Microsoft is losing market share to Firefox because Firefox is a more secure browser. Any attempt by Microsoft to make Firefox as insecure as IE is anti-competitive. Another issue for the EU Competition commissioner to deal with..... Not to mention the data protection implications.....


  • #4
    ethernet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    And here's the patch from MS to try and make it easier to remove and to improve future versions. Hate this smiley but this situation calls for :rolleyes:


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