It’s no secret that we [all] don’t like Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), the outdated 10+ year old browser still used by 15-25% of people on the web. Last year, we called for IE6 to die so that the web could move on with new innovations such as HTML 5.
Now Internet Explorer, specifically IE6, is under fire again after a critical IE vulnerability was implicated for the attack on Google’s infrastructure by Chinese hackers. While IE6 criticism is not a new phenomenon, last week’s events give those of us who advocate for the abolition of IE6 (myself included) new ammunition.
Whether you work for a company that won’t get rid of IE6 or have parents that just don’t see the need to ugprade, here are five new reasons to upgrade or switch browsers:
1. Your security and your company’s security are at risk: There’s no other way to lay it out: if the security of Google (Google), Yahoo, and around 20 other companies were compromised due to people still running IE6, then your security is at risk too. Upgrading after a hacker uses this exploit to steal your information is simply too late, especially if you hold sensitive customer data.
2. World governments are suggesting you switch browsers: Both Germany and France have issued warnings about Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer), asking citizens to switch to prevent the same type of breach that affected Google.
3. Even Microsoft wants you to drop IE6: The Microsoft Security Research & Defense Blog specifically addressed the flaw and the risk of attack by platform. The most important part of the post was that they “recommend users of IE6 on Windows XP upgrade to a new version of Internet Explorer and/or enable DEP.”
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has asked people to voluntarily upgrade, but it is the first time that it’s been in response to an exploit or vulnerability. Think of it like a recall: would you keep driving a car that Toyota, Ford, or GM says could malfunction? Don’t make the same mistake with your computer’s security.
4. Not wanting to upgrade from Windows XP isn’t a legitimate excuse anymore: One way to delete IE6 is to upgrade your OS — both Windows Vista (Windows Vista) and Windows (Windows) 7 run upgraded versions of the IE browser.
We understood why people didn’t want to upgrade when their choice was Windows Vista, but now that a very stable, solid, and secure upgrade is on the market (Windows 7), there’s no excuse not to upgrade. Yes, it’ll cost you up front, but it’s far cheaper than having your data stolen.
5. This will not be the last massive IE6 security breach: This flaw was unknown before Google’s groundbreaking China announcement. And it’s not the first flaw ever found with the browser — there are at least 142 vulnerabilities in IE6, 22 of which are not yet patched. Would you use armor that had 142 weak spots?
Last week’s series of events drove home just how dangerous and idiotic it is to run the long-broken IE6 browser. It should be a wake-up call to IT departments and users around the world: if you keep running a browser from 2001, you are throwing your online security right out the window.
- Mashable.com
The above quoted from mashable.com with thanks.
Why must IE6 and below die?
Because:-
- it adds to the cost of building a web site for the client and the web developer.
- The developer has to build for up to 17 different browsers, each one in effect a whole web site style adjusted to work on each version of the browser suite
Who’s Who in South Africa that are using IE6?
A lot of the Virgin Active gyms, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Absa Bank (part of the Barclays Uk banking group) the Department of Home Affairs, Checkers , Pick ‘n Pay, public libraries, Telkom, Post Office, First National Bank (old Barclays Bank way back during apartheid) amongst others.
This is worrying
Banking institutions should be using the most secure software, it is well known that IE is not and IE 6 even less so. That Google a well known brand was attacked through the use of IE6 is alarming, even weirdly amusing as they of all people should know better – in their case it was the engineers who test browser compatibility that got targeted specifically and it should have been safe in the sandbox environments.
But that big South African brands are so poor on updating their browsers to use Firefox or even IE8, which although a virus vector is far superior than the ten year old IE6!!
There are at least 142 security vectors with IE 6 http://secunia.com/advisories/product/11/
. Once IE six in all its variations is off the list and the only IE we need to deal with is IE9, Firefox,Opera,Safari,Webkit,Mobile Browsers that only leaves at least SIX browser we have to build for, not just one SIX version of the web sites that should be like building a car.
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