Microsoft to 'forcibly' update IE browsers in January

December 16, 2011 5:00pm

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Software giant Microsoft is taking the kid gloves off on its outdated Internet Explorer 6 browser, and will start forced updates to new versions of IE in January.

Tech site CNET said most users of Microsoft's Windows operating system can get the update via the "seamless" Automatic Updates mechanism.

"As we've talked to our customers about our approach (to upgrading), everyone benefits from an up-to-date browser. But from a security perspective alone this is important. Ninety percent of infections that were attributable to a security vendor had a patch out for more than a year," CNET quoted Ryan Gavin, Senior Director of Internet Explorer for Microsoft.

Users of Windows XP will be upgraded to IE Version 8 while Windows Vista users will be upgraded to IE 9.

CNET cited the latest Microsoft Security Intelligence Report indicating that socially engineered malware is the biggest kind of threat facing computer users today.

It said the Microsoft report also showed the malware often goes after security holes in browsers.

"The security mitigations for newer versions of IE have proven to deliver consistent security improvements. Starting with IE8 and continuing with IE9, every new version of Microsoft's browsers has delivered a more secure browsing experience. We'll all be happier and more secure when we don't have to depend on users to install the most recent patches," said Andrew Storms, director of Information Technology at nCircle Network Security.

Brazil, Australia get first crack

Initially, Gavin said the forced update will be rolled out only to Windows users in Brazil and Australia, the CNET report said.

Gavin said the choice stemmed from people there using a broad spread of IE6, IE7, and IE8.

He added Windows Update will allow people to roll back the upgrade.

On the other hand, Microsoft is wary of repeating the upgrade brouhaha that Mozilla created for itself earlier this year.

"Business, particularly large ones, test patches before they are released to their employees and this process doesn't bypass that," said Rob Enderle, a technology analyst with the Enderle Group.

For business and individuals that do not want the upgrade, perhaps to maintain in-house custom tools, Microsoft provides automatic update blocker kits for IE8 and IE9.

IE6 countdown

CNET said Microsoft's IE6Countdown.com site showed less than one percent of northern Europe uses IE6, but more than 23.6 percent of China does.

Worldwide percentage of IE 6 stands at around 8.3 percent. — TJD, GMA News