Why is anyone still using IE?

Two very relevent articles today:

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+secure+IE+for+XP+only/
2100-1032_3-5378366.html

article.........

If you're one of about 200 million people using older versions of Windows and you want the latest security enhancements to Internet Explorer, get your credit card ready.

Microsoft this week reiterated that it would keep the new version of Microsoft's IE Web browser available only as part of the recently released Windows XP operating system, Service Pack 2. The upgrade to XP from any previous Windows versions is $99 when ordered from Microsoft. Starting from scratch, the operating system costs $199.

That, analysts say, is a steep price to pay to secure a browser that swept the market as a free, standalone product.

"It's a problem that people should have to pay for a whole OS upgrade to get a safe browser," said Michael Cherry, analyst with Directions on Microsoft in Redmond, Wash. "It does look like a certain amount of this is to encourage upgrade to XP."

.......snip

and then this little gem

http://news.com.com/
Code+to+exploit+Windows+graphics+flaw+now+public/
2100-1002_3-5378260.html?tag=nefd.top

article.......

A sample program hit the Internet on Wednesday, showing by example how malicious coders could compromise Windows computers by using a flaw in the handling of a widespread graphics format by Microsoft's software.

Security professionals expect the release of the program to herald a new round of attacks by viruses and Trojan horses incorporating the code to circumvent security on Windows computers that have not been updated. The flaw, in the way Microsoft's software processes JPEG graphics, could allow a program to take control of a victim's computer when the user opens a JPEG file.

........snip

This is a serious problem and Micosoft wants more money to make it right.
There is little doubt that sales of XP have not met the MS prediction.
Downloads of the SP2 release have not come close to what MS predicted.
Now they are using their poor record of security to leverage more sales.

DON'T DO IT!

I've said it here before - use an alternate browser. Mozilla, Opera or Firefox.


And one more warning on the e-mail front

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/22/opt-out_exploit/

Once again an IE exploit allows this to happen.