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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Humble on June 10, 2004, 03:01:33 AM

Title: IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Humble on June 10, 2004, 03:01:33 AM
Will avast! cover for IE vulnerabilities like the recently disclosed remote execution flaw (http://secunia.com/advisories/11793/).

Like in this harmless example:
http://62.131.86.111/security/idiots/repro/installer.htm
I know NOD32 blocks the use of the flaw, (not sure what else does).
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: .: Mac :. on June 10, 2004, 03:41:56 AM
Blocking of flaws woud be best suited for a firewall. But these can easily be avoided by just running the windows update feature in windows or by switching to a Mac  ;D
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Humble on June 10, 2004, 03:45:42 AM
Blocking of flaws woud be best suited for a firewall. But these can easily be avoided by just running the windows update feature in windows or by switching to a Mac  ;D
Well there's no patch. (Of course, there are alternative browsers)
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: .: Mac :. on June 10, 2004, 03:47:45 AM
Quote
(Of course, there are alternative browsers)
I use Mozilla 1.6. Its a very stable browser and you can use its built in Email client to replace OE while youre at it.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Kobra on June 10, 2004, 04:06:58 AM
Will avast! cover for IE vulnerabilities like the recently disclosed remote execution flaw (http://secunia.com/advisories/11793/).

Like in this harmless example:
http://62.131.86.111/security/idiots/repro/installer.htm
I know NOD32 blocks the use of the flaw, (not sure what else does).

What Humble is referring to is not security exploits Microsoft will patch.  But more the script holes in IE in general, that aren't listed as holes, moreso than they are just the way the program operates.  Honestly, i'm not sure this is something Avast would even be inclined to delve into. Although I admit, I wish they would, especially the script mode you link above.

As for Mozilla and Opera, well those just never appealed to me, I prefer the wealth of features and full IE compatibility that products like MYIE2 offer me - nothing else has as much configurability from what i've seen, and its much faster.  I honestly believe that Mozilla would have just as many exploits if it was popular, the popular guy always gets the focus.  

Anyway, a good suggestion I think, at least implement some of them into the script blocker module maybe?
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: c0Ld on June 10, 2004, 04:41:37 AM
You need to learn about Mozilla (http://mozilla.org) products :)

I use Firefox .9 (Beta version, the real .9 release is supposed to be soon though, within a week) and Thunderbird .6 for mail :)

Much more secure browser and mail clinet. You should try them both out, or if you're more of an application suite type of person, try out regular Mozilla.

Thunderbird works fine with avast's mail protection, not sure if mozilla application suite's mail clinet does though, but it should.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Kobra on June 10, 2004, 05:06:16 AM
I know all about Mozilla, i've been doing this internet business since day one and I remember the original Mozilla in conceptual phases.  The question isn't what I know about them, the point is, that I find them not very good.  I'm very very picky on my products, and I demand configurability.  I do not like companies telling me how I should use their programs, and I need deep configurability.  Every Mozilla based browser i've ever seen doesn't even come CLOSE to the level of configurability that I have in Netcaptor or MyIE2.

As for mail, I use Outlook2003, and its perfect, the security holes in outlook express are not in OL2003, and its got the best spam filter i've seen in it, built-in.  I've had at best, 2 spam mails get through to my main box this year so far and zero security intrusions via email that weren't blocked by either OL2003, or my AV/Firewall or ISP. I'd say thats pretty decent.   ;)

I know its hard for Mozilla fans to believe, but some of us actually use Microsoft based products by choice for one reason or another.   Myself, I just need mad configuration of my products, without having to fuss with 100 other third party plugins to give me options I feel should be in the core product.  But thats just my opinion.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: .: Mac :. on June 10, 2004, 05:11:57 AM
Kobra I use Mozilla for one main reason: Cross-Platform. I can use the same browser on Windows, Lunux, and Mac. I cant use IE on all 3 platforms or I would use MyIE2.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Kobra on June 10, 2004, 05:13:33 AM
Good point, I only run Windows OS's nowadays.  My Linux, Dos and Mac days have long long since passed.  So thats why I really have no need for cross platform applications.  

Regards
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: kubecj on June 11, 2004, 12:48:21 PM
What's wrong about Mozilla's config?

about:config

It lets you config things you've never heard about.

Running viral backdoor (MSIE/Outlook combo) is not something I'd recommend to anyone.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Gillie2tat on June 11, 2004, 02:20:58 PM
Would someone mind explaining what MyIE2 is?  I've heard of Internet Explorer but not that one.

Maybe a list of links to where you can download these different browsers would be a good idea in the FAQs.  I prefer using Netscape 7.1 as my browser with IE as a backup if necessary, and Eudora for e-mail but for some sites you do need to use IE as they're not Netscape compatible.  Just another accessibility issue, wish they would all recognise the same web coding.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: RejZoR on June 11, 2004, 02:43:35 PM
Opera is also a cross platform along Mozilla. IE6 is just and Windows Update utility and nothing more.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: rloschmann on June 11, 2004, 02:43:48 PM
The only link you need is :

http://www.google.com (http://www.google.com)    8)
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: softwareguy on June 11, 2004, 07:40:13 PM
Disable JavaScript, Active Scripting and ActiveX.  ;)
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Kobra on June 11, 2004, 07:48:32 PM
What's wrong about Mozilla's config?

about:config

It lets you config things you've never heard about.

Running viral backdoor (MSIE/Outlook combo) is not something I'd recommend to anyone.

Welp, been running them for YEARS in high-risk situations and never once had an issue. In fact, i'd place Outlook2003's security as not bad, they've made improvements.  I just use common sense.. A good comprehensive hosts file on each machine, smart settings in the security section of the browser, and a hardware firewall + solid script blocking AV.   Also, brightmail AV on the mail server knocks out the majority, if not all, incoming threats anyway via mail client.  Never had any troubles here, and as I said, this is a risk-based setup. I'm not inclined to change, and break something.

Note: Outlook Express CANNOT be compared to Outlook2003, its not even in the same league.

Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Staind on June 11, 2004, 09:22:34 PM
What's wrong about Mozilla's config?

about:config

It lets you config things you've never heard about.

I guess Kobra has never heard of this function?  Mozilla is definitely better than MyIE2.
Title: Re:IE Vulnerabilities
Post by: Kobra on June 11, 2004, 09:28:43 PM
What's wrong about Mozilla's config?

about:config

It lets you config things you've never heard about.

I guess Kobra has never heard of this function?  Mozilla is definitely better than MyIE2.

I guess you are wrong then.

So what was better about Mozilla than MYIE2?  Mozilla is nothing more than gimped down version of MYIE2 in my personal experiance, and its slower, lacks basic MYIE2 configurations, and isn't supported at a good percentage of the websites I visit, most specifically, my online banking and investment sites.

I know its hard for Mozilla fans to understand, but some people think Mozilla sucks.  I count myself in that catagory.  Everytime i've tried it, I end up uninstalling it 20 minutes later due to some web pages that won't load, or configuration/layouts that I require that it doesn't offer.

Its simple really.. You go ahead and keep using Mozilla because you like it and  I'll keep using MYIE2 because I think it owns.