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More than three dozen major improvements and more than two million lines of changed program code that promise more features, more security and performance.

A few months later than had been planned, Mozilla released on Monday night the first beta version of an overhauled Firefox, the widely used open-source Web browser.

Firefox 3 beta 1 includes a number of significant features that Mozilla said should improve security, ease of use, rendering of Web pages, and location of previously visited Web pages. And for the new era of rich Internet applications, the browser can run Web-based applications even when the computer is disconnected from a network.

Click for more on Mozilla releases first public beta of Firefox 3.0 »

Microsoft is warning users to avoid suspicious websites and emails after attacks were reported on an unpatched flaw in Internet Explorer 7.

The company would not provide exact figures, but said that a “limited number ” of attacks had been reported.

The attacks target a vulnerability in IE7’s handling of the uniform resource indicator (URI) commands used by browsers to launch third-party applications.

Microsoft disclosed the vulnerability on 10 October, explaining that it arises when the browser fails to check malformed URI instructions in Windows XP and Server 2003. Windows Vista is not believed to be vulnerable.

Click for more on Attackers take aim at IE7 unpatched flaw »

Hackers are actively exploiting a zero-day hole in RealNetworks’ RealPlayer media player

The in-the-wild attacks, which began late last night (October 18), targets a previously unknown and unpatched ActiveX vulnerability in the way RealPlayer interacts with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.

Only systems on which both RealPlayer and IE have been installed are vulnerable.

The flaw is causing drive-by malware downloads when an IE user simply browsers to a maliciously rigged Web page, according to an alert issued by Symantec DeepSight Threat Management System.

The issue affects an ActiveX object installed by RealPlayer, accessible over the web using Internet Explorer. By instantiating the object and invoking a specific method and attacker is able to corrupt process memory and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser. The attack currently known to be in-the-wild has been confirmed to download malicious code to the compromised host.

Click for more on IE users beware: RealPlayer zero-day flaw under attack »

Microsoft is warning of yet another URL-handling bug that can lead to a system hijack.

A mere two days after Patch Tuesday brought a host of remote-code execution vulnerabilities to light, Microsoft issued a security advisory warning of yet another problem: a URL-handling vulnerability that could lead to systems getting hijacked if running Internet Explorer 7 on Windows XP or Windows 2003.

Click for more on Another URL-Handling Bug Hits IE »

Mozilla is ramping up efforts to bring Internet and software platforms to cell phones, including a mobile version of Firefox.

Mozilla VP of engineering Mike Schroepfer wrote in his official company blog this week that Mozilla is expanding its mobile presence because the time and place are finally right.

Click for more on Mozilla makes headway in mobile browser market »

Microsoft has issued an updated Internet Explorer (IE) 7 release that no longer requires Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation in order to download.

Program Manager Steve Reynolds announced the news on October 4 on Microsoft’s IE Team blog:

Because Microsoft takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem seriously, we’re updating the IE7 installation experience to make it available as broadly as possible to all Windows users. With today’s ‘Installation and Availability Update,’ Internet Explorer 7 installation will no longer require Windows Genuine Advantage validation and will be available to all Windows XP users.

The new download can be found here.

Some minor UI changes:

• The menu bar is now visible by default.
• The Internet Explorer 7 online tour has updated how-to’s. Also, the “first-run” experience includes a new overview.
• We’ve included a new MSI installer that simplifies deployment for IT administrators in enterprises.

A vulnerability in Ask.com’s toolbar for Internet Explorer could allow an attacker to take control of a person’s computer, according to security advisories.

The problem concerns a buffer overflow flaw in the toolbar and involves an ActiveX control, according to an advisory posted by security vendor Secunia APS, which rated the problem as “highly critical,” its second most severe rating. It affects version 4.0.2 of the toolbar and possibly others.

Click for more on Critical vulnerability found in Ask.com toolbar for IE »

Avoid the annoying prompt permanently.

Internet Explorer 7(IE7) is intended to defend users from phishing as well as deceptive or malicious software, and it also features full user control of ActiveX and better security framework. It put more restrict control over SSL certificate, and completely blocks any site with a self-signed certificate.

Click for more on Install Website Certificate Under IE7 »

A Microsoft employee has posted details about planned changes to Microsoft’s Live Search, ahead of an event next week where the company was slated to unveil the changes to reporters.

The changes to the search product, which were demonstrated at Microsoft’s companywide meeting earlier this month, include improvements in several specific types of search queries, notably in video search and in searches for products.

You can preview videos online by moving your mouse over any video and it will play a preview of the video right away no delays! Isn’t this amazing, at least now you can preview the video before really going and trying to view it, and make sure this is the one you want.

Click for more on Microsoft leaks its own search plans »

Security features debut in latest preview, as Firefox 3.0 heads down the stretch

With the release Firefox 3.0 alpha 8, the Mozilla Corporation has finally unveiled several security features it’s talked up for months. Among the security provisions debuting in the new alpha of “Gran Paradiso,” the code name for Firefox 3.0, are built-in anti-malware warnings and protection against rogue extension updates. The malware blocker, which was first mocked up in June, will block Web sites thought to contain malicious downloads. The feature will use information provided by Google Incorporated to flag potentially-dangerous sites, warn anyone trying to reach those URLs with Firefox and automatically block access to the site.

Click for more on New Firefox 3.0 alpha blocks malware »