My niece just got a new computer, running Windows 7.  She’s in the process of learning the new OS, and sorting out the twists and turns of Internet Explorer 8.  I suggested to her that since IE8 is one of the least secure parts of Windows 7 (which, overall, is the most secure version of Windows that Micro$oft has ever managed to produce), she might want to take this opportunity to begin using Firefox 3.5.  Firefox (Fx), while not perfect, kicks Internet Explorer to the curb when it comes to security, and combined with W7 and some good security software like the new Microsoft Security Essentials — surprisingly good, and surprisingly free — should make for a pretty secure installation.

Note: If you use MSE, you’ll want a good 3rd-party firewall like the free Comodo Personal Firewall.  Security Essentials is pretty good, but Windows’ built-in firewall still does only half the job, blocking incoming traffic but leaving any malware that you accidentally invite on board perfectly free to squirt outbound data to its black little heart’s content.

‘Nother Note: Comodo comes as a suite.  If you’re using MSE, don’t activate the antivirus and malware portions.  You shouldn’t run two suites at the same time.  I can’t recommend Comodo’s antivirus and anti-malware, because I have no experience with them and haven’t researched them.  The firewall is great.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that Firefox has security flaws like just about any other piece of software.  The big difference between it and Internet Explorer, though, is that Microsoft has been known to ignore (or be unable to fix) vulnerabilities in IE for months at a time, whereas the folks at Mozilla.org are constantly diddling with Fx to quickly plug vulnerabilities before they can be addressed by the malware writers.

It is also true that most security problems are totally avoidable if you take the necessary precautions.  Ian “Gizmo” Richards, whose excellent tech newsletter merged with Windows Secrets last year, has been known to state that he believes no security apart from a good firewall is necessary.  That’s probably true for folks like Gizmo, but most of us aren’t prepared to police our online activity to that degree.

Thus, Firefox, and the above is reason number one that I love it.

Reasons two through 26 (at the moment) are the extensions — Mozilla calls them add-ons — that have allowed me to customize Fx to the point that about 99% of my time on the computer, apart from image editing, is spent in the browser.  Continue reading →