IE is broken: can you fix it?

I agree with CERT, IE is a hackers dream and a users nightmare in its current form, MS really need to take it in hand and give it a thorough overhall before it can be considered as a safe and realistic browsing solution in the current market.

One question: when Windows doesn't control 95% of the OS market, and Mac OS now has Safari as its default browser, *nix based OS's don't get IE, and many Windows users have already switched away from IE, how can IE account for 95% of the browser market?
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Firefox (and I assume Mozilla) offers to import your existing Internet Explorer bookmarks when installed, so getting back up to speed isn't that difficult...

I have been using Firefox on Windows and Linux for about 2 years. The only thing I use IE for is to get the latest patches from the Microsoft Update web site.

I find Firefox is generally much faster than IE, and the options to turn off pop-up windows is a god-send. I also only accept cookies and images from the originating web site.

The latter means that often ads are not shown, just big white spaces on the page, but it decreases the loading time of the page... Occassionaly a page uses navigation images from a different domain and things get a little confusing, but temporarily switching the option back on again sorts it out.

The thing that I like most about Mozilla/Firefox is the tabbed pages, opening a link in a new tab is great. The tab loads in the background and I can just switch to it when I want. Unlike IE, this doesn't clutter up the desktop.

Also, as Firefox/Mozilla are cross platform, you don't have to learn a new browser on each new machine. The bookmarks are also stored as html and can easily be copied to new machines.

maybe this is a stupid question but if IE cannot be installed from windows does that mean that your win box is always going to be unsecure. Can the IE processes only be started from the client machine. Are the security flaws ever based on IE APIs (are there any?). As for servers, why does a dataserver have to have IE installed!

Yes! This news tell the exact truth exactly!! Time has come to move out from Microsoft!!

US CERT advise users to change their browser as one OPTION in a list of security measures. Not, as this rather hysterical article suggests, as advice to all internet users.
I'm getting tired of this "let's knock Microsoft and it's products because it's fashionable" attitude.
The reason hackers/crackers, or whatever you want to call them, exploit IE is because it's used by the overwhelming majority of internet users. Not because it's "full of holes". If we all changed over to Mozilla etc then they would find ways to exploit them.
I use IE. I've also used all the alternatives. I take security seriously and use the recommended measures, firewall, AV, patches/updates etc. I scan my systems regularly and, whether you want to believe me not, I can honestly say not one has EVER been infected or compromised, and no it isn't time consuming once it's set up.
It's time we all took an adult view of security and realise that it's not WHAT you use but HOW you use and maintain it that compromises your security.
The problem is not IE. The problem is laziness. You want perfect software that cannot be compromised and refuse to believe that there's no such thing.
It's the easy option to blame Microsoft when the blame rests firmly with every one of us.

Previous poster:

"The reason hackers/crackers, or whatever you want to call them, exploit IE is because it's used by the overwhelming majority of internet users. Not because it's "full of holes""

Erm.... yes it is. You have neglected to mention the tight integration of IE to Windows. For instance, does any other browser allow an HTML file write to the hard drive? Does Mozilla/Netscape/Opera etc.. support ActiveX, a very frequent point of attack for hackers?

I agree... if the alternative browsers were more popular then their security issues would be more in the spotlight. However, they are not integrated to the operating system, and hence their security problems will NEVER be as serious as IE's. And IE IS full of holes.

Gee...You make it sound like Mozilla 1.7 is less that it could be when in fact it is all that it should be and more..the GUI is just like the original Netscape, which was essentially perfect. Mozilla 1.7 is fast, definately faster than the current IE or Netscape, handles all more commonly used plug-ins, supports state-of-the-art encryption, and is a fine example of what good software should be. Please don't sell it short, specially compared to Internet Exploiter which is an an overweight nuissance.

"..Mozilla has a FRIENDLY ENOUGH interface for even the occasional Internet surfer."??

yes, IE has holes, but they all require either very obscure conditions to be effective (how many readers had their banking info stolen due to one of its flaws?), or truly newbie users. as the article mentions, you're really in trouble if you don't run antivirus/spyware programs/firewalls. or don't patch (which is almost automatic, and there r almost no new patches necessary anymore). EVERYONE should be doing this, and these solutions are available freely. THEN you can enjoy all the flashing animations n twirling icons you like (i don't) AND have security.
when everyone switches to mozilla, u can bet there'd b obscure "threat alerts" coming up all the time once again. and the comment abt shell integration is simply false. the latest mozilla security bug was due to shell integration which shouldn't hv occured in the first place. so there. (though of course, it was an obscure security threat too).

To be honest, the main problem lies in the domination of the market. Just use microsoft less if you can. Simple. Use google instead of msn, firefox/opera instead of IE, and so on. if poss, linux too. That'll show those monopolizing fraudsters known as 'Mircosoft Exectutives' what happens when public catches onto the idea.