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Firefox 3: A look at its new security features

September 6th, 2007

Mozilla Firefox is one of the most popular web browsers around today. But what does the Mozilla team have in store for us along security lines? To find out, let’s take a look at the pre-release version of Firefox 3 (code-named Gran Paradiso 1.9 Alpha 7).

Now equipped with breakpads!

Firefox 3 will replace the Talkback crash reporter with Breakpad (formerly called “Airbag”), a multi-platform crash-reporting system designed by Google.

Increased privacy features

Firefox 3 will include a “Private web-browsing mode” that will disable all caching, cookie downloads, history records, and form data used during the current session.

A safe surfing environment for your children

One of Firefox’s proposed security implementations will be complete integration and compatibility with Vista parental controls. Although this feature has not been fully deployed on the pre-release, the notes say it will be added to the version before its full release.

Blacklisting

The blacklisting feature will run much like the blacklisting feature of most e-mail servers and spam detection software. Every time a website is reported to the list as a malicious site Firefox will warn or block others from accessing it.

Other proposed features of the new release will be:

* Website identity validation mechanism.
* Better system to inform user of security status.
* Alert user when they are about to enter information on a suspicious site. ( See Figure B )
* Advanced add-on and extension support

There’s still no definite answer as to when the final product will be available, but according to Mozilla’s release schedule, the projected date will follow two weeks after the final code freeze, which is scheduled for October 16, 2007.

Via Blogs.techrepublic.com.com

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