The Security Mentor

I wrote recently about a test program that uncovered a lot of bugs in the FireFox web browser, the kind of bugs that might lead to security problems.

They're also, fortunately, the kind of bugs that are (relatively) easy to fix. I expect them to get fixed quickly. You may be surprised, but the volunteer labor behind FireFox oftens turns around fixes faster than the paid experts of the commercial world.

Meantime there may be security problems which could show up if you browse to the wrong web page.

That's not the only threat out there. Trojan Horse programs can scramble themselves to fool antivirus programs, then unscramble themselves and work their evil upon you.

What's a non-expert to do in order to stay safe? Do the same thing that martial artists and firearms experts tell you to do in the physical world. Stay out of bad neighborhoods (on the web, that's porn and illegally copied software sites). Don't follow strangers into alleys (on the web, that means don't click on links unless you're sure where they go). Keep your eyes on the situation and leave if you feel uncomfortable.