Today's Security Fix
by Cara Garretson
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Mozilla wants Firefox users’ plug-ins up to date

By Cara Garretson Add a new comment

September 07, 2009, 8:20 AM — Mozilla doesn’t just want to encourage users have the most current version of Firefox installed, it also is launching on a campaign to persuade users to upgrade popular browser plug-ins.

According to a post on Mozilla’s security blog, running older versions of plug-ins can results in crashes and security risks. Because Adobe Flash Player is so popular, and because the blog points out that roughly 80 percent of Adobe Flash Player users are running versions of the plug-in that are out of date, Mozilla is starting there.

Beginning with Firefox 3.5.3 and 3.0.14, when users of older versions of Adobe Flash Player run the Firefox security update they will receive a message encouraging users to upgrade to the most recent version immediately and a link to the Adobe site.

Users of current versions of Adobe Flash Player will get a message after running the security update telling them they’ve got a current version, and therefore they will be “safer on the Web.”

Mozilla plans to work with other plug-in vendors to help remind its users to upgrade. “Keeping your software up to date remains one of the best things you can do to keep yourself safe online,” says the blog.

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Cara Garretson is a business and technology journalist based in Washington, D.C.

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