Firefox: Unsafe for Business Applications

[ChaosOrb]

I read from a news site that Firefox tops the list of vulnerable applications most likely to be the cause of security breach behind corporate firewalls of businesses.

If you ask me, it's probably true. Especially if the FF is used for surfing warez/illegal sites without security addons.

read more: Firefox: Unsafe for Business Applications

[andoyz]

I have to disagree.. i own an internet cafe business, and a call center business soon, and i have used IE6/IE7 on my computers, and it caused me so much problems.. from Browser Freezes, to Easy Spywares going in the computer and etc. After installing firefox all of this went out, especially with the needed Addons.

IE6/7 s more unsafe, even without the addons Firefox is more safer. How many times i have used IE6/7 that has loops holes, and things that cause it to break especially in Spyware area. Firefox is more stable and can handle it better. People seem to forget employees have ways to disable the addons or securities even on IE6, but with some addons in Firefox its impossible almost 99.99% chance they can't hack it.

And why wouldn't anyone get the Security Addons? that's just plain stupid.
If you want firefox to work on an internet cafe or a call center or any business its pretty easy, since you also disable downloading even disable streaming, and etc just like IE6/7 but 3x better.

-NoScript Addon (autoscans any website you visit, checking if there's any trojan or backdoor,cookies etc.)
-Publicfox Addon (adds a password to Tools Section, so people can't edit about:config, nor touch any settings, addons, even disables downloads, websites, etc.)
-Adblock Plus (..)

Even this 3 addons already make everything secure.. but since firefox is so easy to install addons lets add some more. There's even an addon to transfer all your settings and all addons to another computer with 5 clicks :P It's like Import/Explorting!


-BetterPrivacy 1.22 (Super-Cookie Safeguard (protects from LSO Flash Objects, DOM Storage Objects, eBay long-term tracking). )
-Interclue 1.5.7 (Ever wanted to know what was behind the link before you clicked? Interclue tells you everything you need to know before you open yet another tab.)
-Flashblock (Never be annoyed by a Flash animation again! Blocks Flash so it won't get in your way, but if you want to see it, just click on..)

Get and find the addons, there's too many good ones to list!

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/

[cyril]

i agree with andoyz, since IE has its activeX holes, firefox is a better choice for a browser

and besides, your premise of "behind corporate firewalls of businesses" doesn't add up to why you would allow "surfing of warez/illegal sites" (in a business environment) in the first place

[ChaosOrb]

well, maybe Bit9 is just giving Firefox a bad name or something. But if you come to think of it, a default installation of FF if used without security addons can still be penetrated by malwares.

Most Business computers behind a corporate firewall just installs the default installation of FF, and some users, knows how to bypass the firewall protection by using a proxy so there still a chance that FF is used to surf around a rouge website and may propagate trojans/worms around the company networks.

[nirdle_phogi]

hmm.. sa ako sige gamit FF, wala man ko kaayo niabot ug rouge sites.. safer pa gyud ilabi na gamitan addons like AdBlock, NoScript and WOT (Web of Trust).. bsan wala addons kay mo-alert man ang firefox if safe or dili ang site..

[Visual C#]

Although FF users (incl. me) may disagree, it is true.

In a business environment, FF is not an optimal browser. If the business is pretty much Microsoft-dependent on their software (desktop and server OS), FF is not really ok with IT admins.

Firefox doesn't obey Group Policies, which means people can install FF and things like proxy addons without any restrictions, and boom: instant security nightmares. If Firefox is to succeed in an MS-powered business environment, someone needs to come up with a way for it to follow Group Policy.

[darkdruid]

i always encounter sites with a lot of viruses... pero so far firefox blocked it for me and compared to my IE... malas2x lang dyud agi nako. hehe.

[lylemark]

FF is good,..
compared to IE,..
if you can configure FF + add-ons,..
then,..
you can never compare it to IE,..
IE crashes alot,..
lage pwamis,..
FF idol,..

[jOaL]

ka mga payter ninyo oi.. hehehe
ako laban ko FF..kay dli man ko kasulod ug istorya sa IE.

[MarkCuering]

Although FF users (incl. me) may disagree, it is true.

In a business environment, FF is not an optimal browser. If the business is pretty much Microsoft-dependent on their software (desktop and server OS), FF is not really ok with IT admins.

Firefox doesn't obey Group Policies, which means people can install FF and things like proxy addons without any restrictions, and boom: instant security nightmares. If Firefox is to succeed in an MS-powered business environment, someone needs to come up with a way for it to follow Group Policy.

I strongly disagree with this one… doesn’t obey Group Policy? Firefox is running on top of Operating System and applying Group Policy is one of the Operating System’s Security Option… and thus if you set something that users still able to install Firefox (it most common ways) then you’re not able to set it up properly. There’s a lot of security options that you can combined in Windows…

Security Policy, NTFS permission, Local Administrator rights, Domain Administrative rights, this includes a very basic Network addressing schemes where you only allows certain Network Address that can pass through your gateway (router) to used internet connection.

And now you’re talking about Proxy addons without any restrictions, where in the first place you can disable someones internet connectivity via network configuration, how much more if you combined this effectively in Local configuration.