Firefox 7 security fixes, http vs https and data collection

Mozilla has released Firefox 7, the latest incarnation of their popular web browser.

Recently Firefox has been getting through new version numbers faster than a fat man chasing a ice cream van.

The reason for the rapidly increasing version number? Well, it seems to be for no reason other than to please users who may incorrectly link a higher version number with something being “cooler”.

Most of the headlines about Firefox 7 are making much of the claim that it’s said to require less RAM. In fact, a lot less memory. Firefox developers have claimed that version 7 can use up to 50% less memory than previous versions.

When you come to update to Firefox 7, you’ll be asked if you would also give permission for Mozilla to collect anonymous data on your installation’s memory usage and performance. Presumably the developers want to use this…

Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.

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Graham Cluley •   @gcluley

Graham Cluley is a veteran of the anti-virus industry having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent security analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of computer security, hackers, and online privacy. Follow him on Twitter at @gcluley, on Mastodon at @[email protected], or drop him an email.