http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120408-firefox-users-targeted-by-rare.html?hpg1=bn
Switch to Opera!!! The SOlution is that easy. Just use IE for some websites
Well, I still feel more secure with Firefox + NoScript (and obviously the malware that the article refers to uses JavaScript, which NoScript so conveniently blocks). But I love Opera in every other aspect so I’ll stick with it. 
We sure need layered security. We can’t trust our browsers to deal with all internet threats… that’s why we need proactive security on our systems, monitoring everything that tries to sneak outside the browser.
LA
I wouldn’t expect that from the one person who made me decide to create my extreme security button (I “improved” it 
) for Opera. I am shocked!!!
Just kidding …
Yes, FF + NoScript + Adblock Plus (with the right blocklists) + Firekeeper + Haute Secure offer a great deal of protection.
NoScript - Well, everyone who uses FF ought to use it.
AdBlock Plus - Every FF should use it and have it set with proper blocking lists, such as, for example, malwaredomains.com and others
Firekeeper - For those who don’t know what it is - http://firekeeper.mozdev.org/
Haute Secure - Offers a mix of site blocking, hips and behavior blocker. Also works with IE. I find it great and if one knows how to tweak its protection settings, it will offer a even greater deal of protection.
That’s what I use in FF, for my relatives and for me, when I use it and when they remember to use it!! (I actually managed to instruct one of my relatives to use Opera! )
I also use, as a background protection (for IE, Firefox and Opera), LinkScanner Pro.
Man, and ain’t I glad Opera has no addons?
As LeoniAquila mentioned, we need a layered security approach. Behind all what I mentioned above, there’s also an enourmous malware sites block list (domains and IPs) and of course CIS (less the AV).
Of course, all this won’t mean one won’t get infected, but sure, will make it harder, no?
Edit: I guess that if the target was IE, then it would be possible to set a kill bit.
I tend to forget that I have that button in Opera. :-[ 
The only problem with our button is that we don’t know when we should enable it, and we can’t really have it enabled all the time. That would make surfing inconvenient. In Firefox, on the other hand, NoScript is always enabled (unless you disable it of course).
LA
Actually, my surfing is quite normal and I have the extreme security button (the way I call it ) always on. I only allow, for example, javascript, when I wish to download a file once in a while from rapidshare, because it needs it. I allow referrer logging, for my ISP page to log into my account, as it needs it.
But, I do it on a per basis. I don’t have it always off and then turn it on.
Most of the sites I visit do not need javascript, embedded audio, java, cookies, etc. to be enable.
I guess is a matter of practice. I rather waste a few seconds settings each site I trust, at the moment, to set Opera to enable cookies or javascript or java or referrer logging, etc. But, in my case, for most of my browsing, I never have such need.
If a certain site needs such thing, I can just set it in the site preferences. Maybe not all would work fine, but in that case, there’s FF. Other than that… just fine. But, again, in my case, is rare that situation.
Yes, it is a bit inconvenient, but over time you build up a huge whitelist. Once in a while you may forget it when you visit new sites but it never bothered me. I did build up a huge whitelist, and I even saved it for months after I left Firefox. But now I’ve thrown it away = Opera 4 ever.
(:LOV)
LOL, I hardly use the button at all. Mostly created it to show myself (and others ;D) that I could make such a thing.
This became a bit !ot! but bottom line: As much as Firefox is a target, I think you can prevent many attacks by using NoScript.
LA
It is always handy to have such tools - NoScript and my Extreme Security Button - always on, and then allow on a per basis situation.
Yes, it is true. NoScript will provide a great layer of protection. But, I would, and also do, use the tools I mentioned before. As you well said, we need layered security. Just one tool won’t do it all. I guess, that, one way to prevent such attack, would be to use, for example, Haute Secure, as it will also protect any strange changes made to Firefox and the registry. One just needs to know how to tweak it better to offer a even greater deal of protection.
With Firefox+ the plugins and CIS, not much can get through.
Cheers,
Josh
In Opera, instead of toggling JS etc. every time you use a site, edit the site preferences for that domain. Much more convenient, isn’t it? ???
I’ve never been used to the Site Preferences, it’s not my cup of tea.
!ot!
LA
Sorry, You must of missed this isn’t an OPERA thread, haha… 
Cheers,
Josh
Hehe it was not me who started that off topic discussion, just tried to help with a post as brief as possible. Sorry anyway.
Hmm. Soo does CIS detect this malware?
Hmm. Soo does CIS detect this malware?
Good question Bracca. Let’s hope the 5 star guy’s got an answer for us, even me, the lowly 1 star. lol.
Yea, today was a weird day. MS IE has out of cycle critical patch, and Firefox has 8 patches - 3 critical, and No Script updated today too. Almost scary!
I gotta say, it’s very difficult to get what can be considered solid advice anywhere. Reminds me of my day’s when I used to do alot of work on my cars. No matter what I read, or who I talked to I’d get several different takes on any one problem. Took a few years to get to the point where I had quality judgment and could make my own mind up. Guess it’s gonna be the same for this security thing, and both the bad guy’s and the good guy’s are growing in number and coming at me from all directions!
Well, I’m going to stick with ff using no script and CIS, and that’s it. I’ll see where that get’s me to.
I checked out the Haute site, I couldn’t see anything outstanding there, except they want me to use a toolbar, and I hate toolbars. They seem to say they do what +Defense does. It was hard to sort out the facts from the hype to be honest.
And AdBlock, isn’t that the same thing as no script. The ads are scripts.
I started using Comodo firewall cause I was tired of all the McAfee processes that constantly ran, depressing. (Mc is supplied free from my ISP). And I intend to keep the processes down.
Information that would be useful is “how to know when we have been hit” I use the taskmanager to keep an eye on things, I watch the internet connections. Don’t know what else I can do, might be something, besides installing 6 more programs.
Anyway, just talking about the security subject here. I do read and appreciate what the more experienced people write. Good luck to us all.
I can’t help with the question
Sorry
but
IMHO
You should be good with CIS, Firefox, & No-script, just stay away from the dark side. Scripts and images are used to trigger most of your vulnerabilities. A buffer overflow protector Such as Comodo Memory Firewall (Still is beta with no updates since January 2008, but you can find it in the forums), could also help. It is rumored to be included in a later release of CIS eventually.
There are other memory protectors out there, but I know very little about them.
2 examples
* OverflowGuard :
http://www.datasecuritysoftware.com/
* BufferShield :
http://www.sys-manage.com/
Hey All,
quote:Sandwater
“Well, I’m going to stick with ff using no script and CIS, and that’s it. I’ll see where that get’s me to.”
:-TU Wise, Wise words.
quote:Sandwater
“And AdBlock, isn’t that the same thing as no script. The ads are scripts.”
Well sort of, but not. AdBlockPlus if you find ads annoying, makes surfing much more pleasurable.
And is absolutely indispensable for people on dial-up connections, it increases speed and reduces
bandwidth usage by not loading piles and piles of ■■■■ on every page load.
NoScript is more about scripts that Do stuff in the background, redirect, contact, load, install etc.
By default it is Block all, and you slowly build your own whitelist with usage.
Whereas AdBlock Plus uses a blacklist, you subscribe to a list (free) and there is more than one to
choose from. It blocks content from advertising companies on whichever list you have loaded.
I use AdBlock Plus and NoScript together, long time very happy.
quote:Sandwater
“Information that would be useful is “how to know when we have been hit””
If you have any variation of the infection in question you will find the presence of:
“%ProgramFiles%\Mozilla Firefox\plugins\npbasic.dll”
“%ProgramFiles%\Mozilla Firefox\chrome\chrome\content\browser.js”
files in the Mozilla Firefox’s plugins and chrome folders respectively.
So yes, between NoScript, CIS and just not being an idiot that installs everything
that pops up. You should be quite safe.
Later
Regarding Buffer overflow protection.
Comodo Memory Firewal
I am under the belief that Safe Surf is the latest incarnation.
If you install the toolbar with CIS, you get it.
You can uninstall the toolbar itself afterwards, then Safe Surf remains.
In the task bar silently protecting.
Later
Why should I install completelly CIS with his toolbar to after uninstall that toolbat to have protection from Safe Surf? To me this is illogical! I really want pure CMF into CIS!