Mozilla may add Vista security feature to Firefox 3.0

By Janet Harris

Mozilla is considering adding ‘Protected Mode’ to Firefox 3.0 to protect against malware.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 uses the feature on its new Windows Vista operating system. Protected Mode, also known as ‘low rights’, only permits disk access to a temporary-files folder, meaning that if the PC is attacked through a browser vulnerability, the malware can’t install code on the PC’s drive.

Firefox developers have been discussing the feature with Microsoft’s Vista team, but have not yet decided whether to implement the feature in Firefox 3.0, which is due out in the second half of 2007.

Researchers have found ways of side-stepping some of the security features on Vista, such as its User Account Control.

Firefox 3.0 will have additional password protection, anti-fraud security measures and enhancements to the user interface which will allow users to more easily monitor the browser’s security status or the validity of a site’s certificate.