As I mentioned a little over a week ago, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has recommended that computer users stop using Internet Explorer on Windows and use alternative browsers instead. I suggested that folks using Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook Express switch to Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird.

There have been several developments since then. In response to the agency warning (which, it seems, is being heeded by a substantial number of computer users), Microsoft issued a fix for the problem that doesn't work, and another vulnerability was discovered. At the same time, a bug was discovered in the Mozilla applications that allowed the exploitation of vulnerabilities in Windows 2000 and XP. Mozilla immediately released new versions of Firefox and Thunderbird that addressed this problem.

If you're still using Internet Explorer and/or Outlook Express on Windows, I'd like to urge you again to switch to Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird (or some other alternatives). Mozilla now provides instructions on how to switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox. You can even download a theme for Firefox that will make it look like Internet Explorer, if that will make you more comfortable. By all means, make that switch today, and let me know if you need any help.