Last week, the government of Germany asked users to stop using Microsoft"s Internet Explorer browser, due to a security flaw that could prove very dangerous. Since then, the French government has asked those who use the browser to switch to a new one immediately, just before the Australian government also warned its citizens of the flaw.
According to ABC News, the Australian government warned users to switch to another browser, or else remain at risk of having their passwords and information stolen. Mark Gregory, a senior lecturer in network engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne, said this was wise advice. He stated, "There are other browsers that are available, that appear to be being targeted less by the hackers and by these organizations than what Internet Explorer is being targeted. I don"t think there was any interference in what they said that Internet Explorer was any more deficient in terms of security than any of the other browsers, just that it was being targeted more. On that basis, you"d have to argue that if security was a principal concern then using another browser would be wise until the incident is reduced."
Gregory also believes that governments and major industries are not well prepared for the threats on the Internet. The threats are changing constantly, and the Internet itself is unregulated, leaving it a dangerous place for those who aren"t sure about what they"re doing (and sometimes, even those who do). The Australian government"s "Stay Smart Online" initiative has posted instructions on how to lessen the threat, if one doesn"t want to make the change to another browser.