Filtered By: Scitech
SciTech

IE6 still used by half a million Pinoys despite security risks


Citing security vulnerabilities and incompatibility with modern Web standards, Microsoft has set up a website discouraging computer users from using its 10-year-old browser, Internet Explorer 6. IE6 Countdown is dedicated to watching Internet Explorer 6 usage drop to less than one percent worldwide. The website features statistics as of Feb. 28, showing the extent of IE6 use in various countries, including the Philippines. Figures cited by Microsoft in its website showed a 2.2 percent usage of IE6 in the Philippines. This is equivalent to over 650,000 Internet users in the country out of an online population of 29.7 million, according to Internet World Stats. All users of IE6 are at risk of being hacked. According to Internet security firm Secunia.com, as of March 4, 2011, there are a total of 277 vulnerabilities detected in IE6, of which 39 percent are rated "highly critical". Of all detected vulnerabilities, 24 percent are either unpatched or only partially fixed. "(Ten) years ago, a browser was born. Its name was Internet Explorer 6. Now that we’re in 2011, in an era of modern web standards, it’s time to say goodbye," Microsoft said. Web developers and site owners were urged to place a banner code on their sites so IE6 users can be informed they are "using an outdated browser." Microsoft also urged users to educate their friends, citing the advantages of upgraded browsers. Although Microsoft's website did not directly mention IE6's security holes, it said that the latest versions of IE can help protect users from new attacks and threats. "The web has changed significantly over the past 10 years. The browser has evolved to adapt to new web technologies, and the latest versions of Internet Explorer help protect you from new attacks and threats," it said. The company also suggested that corporate users who use IE6 for work attend workshops for migration to IE8, the company's latest non-beta browser. — TJD, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT