f13.net

Don't look at any images on the web, they might destroy you, the next emoticon you see may be your doom!  :-) (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051108/tc_nm/microsoft_security_dc)

I don't usually worry too much about having the absolute latest security updates but the idea of some image on a website cracking my computer wide open is pretty upsetting.

Update home. (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com)

Edit: After looking around some more I guess something similar happened in August so perhaps this type of thing is old news.

The thing that sucks most about this is that once a month I have to break out the shitty IE browser to download the latest unrgent security fix, which ends up reminding me all over again why I use Firefox...

You do realize that Firefox is the new big target these days? ;) You have to keep it updated, too. Soon it'll be just like IE, but open source. Should be interesting. IE blows, but it still does things better than any browser, we have to keep a copy on our macs, even though mac development was halted in 2001.

But...it's nice having macs at work. Our windows machines are more of a hassle in every aspect. I'm now recommending people get macs if they aren't avid gamers, since every single employee comes to me with virus/spyware problems all the time. All the time. It's ridiculous.

Coming from a security background in the late 90's/early 2k's, Sky is absolutely correct here: it's simply a matter of time from a hacker's perspective as to Firefox being just as much of a security hole as any other product. Being opensource both helps and hurts, but paradoxically, the more users with Firefox, the more of a draw it will be for the hackers. It's like Mac viruses--you don't see many because people don't bother to write them--not enough Mac targets in the "big picture".

Is this going to degenerate into a /. e-peen pissing contest over Mac vs Windows?  C'mon Winders!

No.

but my e-peen is aluminum!

Hah!  Loser!  Mine is titanium.

Just to be clear, while I know that the security through obscurity of Firefox is doomed to pass, what I really like about Firefox is how it works for me as a browser, vs IE's painful clunkiness.  Being forced to wrestle with IE as part of updating my OS security is just adding insult to injury.