Mozilla Releases "Critical" Updates

Mozilla has reportedly released security updates for versions 1.5.x and 2.0.x of its Firefox Web browser, as also for its Thunderbird mail client and its SeaMonkey program suite that includes a chat client and a Web site building tool.

Most of the security updates are labeled "critical" by Mozilla.

In a statement, the company said, "As part of the Firefox 2.0.0.1 and 1.5.0.9 update releases, we fixed several bugs to improve the stability of the product. Some of these were crashes that showed evidence of memory corruption, and we presume that at least some of these could be exploited to run arbitrary code with enough effort."

The latest round of updates fixes flaws in Mozilla products such as problems with RSS feeds, as also in the way in which JavaScript is used in email.

Besides, users of Thunderbird are advised to disable JavaScript so as to prevent unauthorized code from affecting their systems.

The new updates also fix the way in which the browser renders graphics on certain Web sites, plus the way in which it renders custom cursors through CSS or Cascading Style Sheets.

While Microsoft's Internet Explorer remains the dominant browser client, leaving Mozilla to own at best - a mere 10 percent of the browser market; Mozilla's Firefox is steadily gaining currency as the more secure and stable browser of the two.

Plus, if at all, hackers are switching loyalties in favor of Firefox, Mozilla, to its credit, is inviting people who've found any Mozilla-related security vulnerability to instantaneously report it by sending email at security@mozilla.org.

Regards,
Nikhil Kale.