Here’s a twist
Looking for software to stop spyware and adware? Think you’ll finally be safe if you switch from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firebird?
Here’s an interesting tidbit I discovered quite by accident this morning.
Mozilla Firebird isn’t necessarily safer than Internet Explorer… In fact, until today, while using Firefox, I’d never had a piece of software take over my computer or insert itself into my browser without my permission. (I use AdAware and SpyBot on a regular basis, so I know.)
Anyway, did a google search this morning and followed a link to a perfectly reputable looking site, and as I was watching (now that’s bold!) my google search icon was replaced by some freaky little CC in a circle and suddenly my search shows up at some search engine I’ve never heard of before.
Well, suffice to say, I took care of that little problem ASAP, but it made me realize something couldn’t be set up in my browser correctly for such a thing to happen.
Lesson learned: No browser is safe if you don’t have those download properties set up correctly.
Owwie.
Tess said,
March 30, 2005 @ 9:56 am
Terescia – thanks for the tip re Firefox. Will keep an eye on things. I’m pretty careful, but have been caught once or twice as well.
Scary thing is, as quickly as reputable developers come up with ways to protect their customers, the idiots find ways to get around them. *sigh*.
Hope the writing is going well :-)