Sophos: Microsoft’s Windows browser ballot could be exploited by hackers
The next few weeks are going to be interesting ones for Microsoft and its Internet Explorer Web browser. With the browser ballot screen hitting Europe, we’ll finally get to see how many Windows users only use Internet Explorer out of habit and laziness. There’s just one problem, however, that this provides a perfect opportunity for hackers to exploit naive computer users. The Web browser choice screen is set to be tested out on some users in Belgium, France, and the U.K. next week, and then rolled out to every Windows user in Europe on March 1. This browser ballot is the result of a long-running antitrust investigation by the European Union as to whether Microsoft is unfairly hogging the browser market by bundling Internet Explorer in with every copy of the Windows operating system. This should provide for an interesting spectacle. Will the market shares of Chrome and Firefox rise by a massive amount in Europe as people are prompted to choose their browser? And will the forced install of IE8 for those sticking with Internet Explorer cause mass confusion and angst? According to InfoZine, while IT security and data protection firm Sophos is as interested as the rest of us as to how this pans out, it’s also concerned that hackers and cyber-criminals will seek to exploit the situation. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said:
The likes of Google and Mozilla will be rubbing their hands in glee at the chance of increasing their share of the browser market, and this increased exposure should be good for them. It will be fascinating to see how many average Internet users are tempted to try surfing via another program. But there is a real danger that cyber-criminals might attempt to take advantage of this initiative by creating bogus browser choice screens that could pop up on innocent users’ PCs and potentially lead them to a malicious download.
This is an obvious danger because many of the people seeing the browser ballot screen will be the computer users too inexperienced or unknowledgeable to have already sought out an alternative browser to Internet Explorer. And they are exactly who hackers target in these kinds of situations. Cluley also warns users moving to a new browser not to take security for granted, saying:
Regardless of the dangers of bogus pop-ups pretending to be the browser choice screen, computer users need to remember that no browser is perfect, and whichever one you choose it is essential that you keep it properly patched and updated to reduce the chance of hackers exploiting security vulnerabilities.
Again, this is good, solid advice as there’s a danger that people will move across to Firefox, Chrome, Opera, or Safari and then assume they’re safer than they were with Internet Explorer. Which isn’t always the case, especially if they don’t keep their new browser up-to-date. Let’s hope the Web browser choice screen doesn’t turn into an absolute mess, or the European Union will have managed to make things worse rather than better. And not for the first time.
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February 22nd, 2010
You morons that put the idiots running thus for the EU deserve all the disaster you can get for this stupid browser choice process.
February 22nd, 2010
The whole browser ballot thing was a stupid idea anyway.
“This browser ballot is the result of a long-running antitrust investigation by the European Union as to whether Microsoft is unfairly hogging the browser market by bundling Internet Explorer in with every copy of the Windows operating system.”
So IE comes bundled with Windows.. It’s made by MS and they have a right to bundle it with their own software. It’s their own choice and makes sense, not just for MS but for cunsumers for it to be included.
This was a waste of time and energy for everyyone involved. We live in a day and age where everything is so interconnected. If you really want a new web browser all you have to do is google “web browsers” and you will get plenty like Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. And to be brutally honest if you are not intelligent enough for that then you should probably stick to IE.
” we’ll finally get to see how many Windows users only use Internet Explorer out of habit and laziness”
Habit? IE has been around for ages. When i first got involved in computers there was only really 3 choices. AOL, Netscape Navigator, and IE. Netscape died long ago and AOL is but a shell of it’s former self. With competion like that alot of people stuck by IE and still do today.
The burden of a browser ballot shouldn’t have been put on MS’s shoulders. Things should have been left as they are. However MS should be made to step up to the plate and make IE even safer and stable. It can’t compete with Firefox in that department. When IE8 first came out I couldn’t update to it because it kept crashing on my PC. That’s unacceptable
February 22nd, 2010
What a waste of effort and money. Either you know what a browser is and can change it yourself or you are clueless and install a different one and can’t find your settings.
I hope everyone who gets confuse and requires help hammers the EU with calls and faxes.