Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives

Re: Firefox as default browser in labs


From: Vicky Walker <Vwalker () UNT EDU>
Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 14:07:00 -0500

We at UNT use Oracle/PeopleSoft as our EIS solution and we have problems
with FireFox in some environments because PS has not stated that FireFox
is supported in the past.  The latest thread I have seen on Higher Ed
Users group is:  GSC (4178608) states:

"FireFox 1.x is supported for Tools 8.46+. This does include FireFox
1.5."

Basically, you need to be careful about any purchased products before
eliminating IE altogether.


bbarrett () CCRI EDU 5/10/2006 1:20 PM >>>
Ken,
         Nice. Thank you.
                                            Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Connelly [mailto:Ken.Connelly () UNI EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 9:29 AM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Firefox as default browser in labs

Compare http://secunia.com/product/11/ vs.
http://secunia.com/product/4227/

- ken

Bruce Barrett wrote:

All,

          Very interesting. Can anyone expound on some of the
security
issues with Internet Explorer ? We support IE but not Firefox and
would be interested in any information comparing the two from a
security standpoint. Thanks much.



                 Bruce




------------------------------------------------------------------------

*From:* Ken Layng [mailto:kml18 () PSU EDU]
*Sent:* Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:18 AM
*To:* SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
*Subject:* Re: [SECURITY] Firefox as default browser in labs





William Custer wrote:

Michelle,

I understand that Penn State eliminated IE in December 2004.  You
might contact them.

We issued a RECOMMENDATION to use a browser other than internet
explorer, due to inherent vulnerabilities in IE, but we did not
eliminate the browser altogether.  That decision was left up to
individual dept admins.    Our lab machines offer both browsers, but

Firefox is set to open links by default.


At 05:28 PM 5/9/2006, you wrote:

Because of the many security issues with Internet Explorer, I am
considering using Firefox as the default browser in our labs and
eliminating access to IE.  Are any of you doing this?  Did you run
into any problems with implementing it from a user rights, group
policy, roaming profile, and software conflict stand point?  What
about allowing or not allowing students to add themes or extensions?
Thanks,
Michelle Mueller
Mount Mary College
Milwaukee, WI





--


Ken Layng
The Pennsylvania State University
ITS/TLT/Training Services
23 Willard
814-863-8800
kml18 () psu edu <mailto:kml18 () psu edu>


--
- Ken
=================================================================
Ken Connelly             Associate Director, Security and Systems
ITS Network Services                  University of Northern Iowa
email: Ken.Connelly () uni edu   p: (319) 273-5850 f: (319) 273-7373
It's much more important to know what you don't know than what you do
know!

Current thread: