Symantec Rethinks Firefox vs IE Vulnerabilities

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Symantec Rethinks Firefox vs IE Vulnerabilities

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Sunday March 12, 2006 @01:34AM from the double-think dept.

chill writes "Last September security software vendor Symantec issued a report claiming IE had fewer critical flaws than Firefox and thus was more secure. Well, it seem they have now rethought that position. 'How we did it before wasn't a fair comparison,' said Oliver Friedrichs, the senior manager of Symantec's security response group. 'It wasn't an apples to apples comparison.' The key was vendor acknowledged critical vulnerabilities. Thus, if Microsoft (or the Mozilla Foundation) didn't agree it was critical, then it didn't get counted."

14 of 214 comments (clear)

imagine that by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-12 01:39 · Score: 5, Funny

profit motive = incentive to lie

I'm SHOCKED!
1. Re:imagine that by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-12 10:54 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Given that IE is a far more mature code base than Firefox (version 6 versus version 1.5) I would expect IE to be far more secure than Firefox. The fact that more people use IE causes more security flaws to be found anyway since more people look for flaws in it.
  
  Plus, IE doesn't use the page renderer to handle the user interface like Firefox does - that's already bitten Firefox several times and doubtlessly will continue to as people find ways to jump from "unsafe" content to "chrome" content.
So Symantec hates microsoft now?? by nich37ways · 2006-03-12 01:42 · Score: 5, Funny

I guess the latest TCO Microsoft is great checks failed to appear this week....

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37 - what does it stand for really...
It took them by colonslashslash · 2006-03-12 01:43 · Score: 4, Funny

Over 6 months to realise and admit that? Nice going ...

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She's built like a steak house, but she handles like a bistro....
1. Re:It took them by who+am+i+anyway · 2006-03-12 02:41 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Half a year for admitting a mistake ain't that bad... compared to the catholic church.
2. Re:It took them by rbochan · 2006-03-12 06:30 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  6 months! That's nothing compared to their virus/trojan detection updates!
  
  --
  ...Rob
  The American Dream isn't an SUV and a house in the suburbs; it's Don't Tread On Me.
A Scenario by BumpyCarrot · 2006-03-12 01:52 · Score: 5, Funny

Symantec: Internet Explorer feasted on my childs bones. Microsoft: We don't consider that critical.

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Do you see what I did there?
Re:OneCare by ROOK*CA · 2006-03-12 02:06 · Score: 4, Funny

So, how long until MS OneCare starts getting flagged as malicious spyware by Norton, or vice versa?

LOL, Great Point, I can see it now "Symantec Client Security Has Detected A Serious Vulnerability On Your Computer Click OK to Uninstall ..... Microsoft Office" :D

Great way to drive pay-per-incident Technical Support too.

"Personal Security Suite Wars 2006 Coming to a Windows PC Near You."
Symantec tests windows xp by Centurix · 2006-03-12 02:13 · Score: 5, Funny

"We have substatially tested Windows XP and have found the operating system to be completely bug free. Out tests were conducted in a time period of 1 minute, which contains 60 seconds. As all seconds are effectively the same, we can safely say that Windows XP will be safe for all future occurances of seconds."

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Task Mangler
Damn by pHatidic · 2006-03-12 02:38 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh shit I'm going to have to switch back now! Do you have any idea how long it took to get IE running on Linux?
1. Re:Damn by psocccer · 2006-03-12 10:37 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Do you have any idea how long it took to get IE running on Linux?
  
  About 10 minutes? I run ie5.5 and ie6 under wine setup by this installer script so I can check web stuff without having to fire up qemu. And yes I know you were just kidding :p
  
  --
  Free Online Woodworking Resources Directory
The Secret to Success by burntsigil · 2006-03-12 03:21 · Score: 2, Funny

"Thus, if Microsoft (or the Mozilla Foundation) didn't agree it was critical, then it didn't get counted."

That's it! That's the secret to making bug-free software! Not fix anything then deny it's a bug! That's what I'm gonna do!

"Hey, this is a critical exploit!"
"No, it's not."
"Okay."

BRILLIANT!
Re:OneCare by chill · 2006-03-12 05:12 · Score: 4, Funny

LOL, Great Point, I can see it now "Symantec Client Security Has Detected A Serious Vulnerability On Your Computer Click OK to Uninstall ..... Microsoft Office" :D

You were modded funny, only because "prophetic" isn't a legitimate mod. Actually, McAfee beat them to it. Their virus update sigs on Friday, March 10th classified MS Excel as a virus.

-Charles

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Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
In other news, on-line music theft disappears by surfingmarmot · 2006-03-12 15:17 · Score: 2, Funny

"The key was vendor acknowledged critical vulnerabilities. Thus, if Microsoft (or the Mozilla Foundation) didn't agree it was critical, then it didn't get counted."

When asked if downloading music via P2P is 'stealing', respondents uniformly replied that it wasn't, so their downloads ceased being counted in MPAA music theft figures. The MPAA in a separate announcment stated it had no legal standing in curent cases and withdrew all complaints and charges against all music 'sharers'.

See we can use corporate logic too!