No more security updates for Firefox 1.5 after April 24

Users of Firefox 1.5 should start to upgrade to version 2.0, since support for version 1.5. will cease from April 24. Further security updates cannot be counted on, and known vulnerabilities will no longer be fixed. Since no automatic upgrade from 1.5 to 2.0 is available, there are concerns that many users will continue to work with their old versions. While it is difficult to foretell whether or not virus authors will still bother to search for vulnerabilities in version 1.5, users should be aware that 9 critical holes were detected and fixed in Firefox 1.5 during the last three months.

Although updates might be published for other Firefox-based browsers such as Netscape and Camino by their respective developers, it appears that at least for Netscape such efforts will not be successful. The browser lacks numerous security updates that were provided for its original. To be up-to-date, users must either perform a manual download or install the current version 2.0.0.3.

Update
Apparently there are plans to provide an automatic update from version 1.5 to 2.0, and users should have no problems to upgrade to the current version. However, it is not clear yet when this update will be available, as testing and preparations are still ongoing. Reports also speak of technical problems. The plan is to publish the update end or April.

Firefox versions 1.5.0.12 and 2.0.0.4 will be published before that date, with the update from 1.5 to 2.0 being launched shortly afterwards, offering users the Major Update. From version 1.5.0.9 upwards, Firefox has included the auto update function for upgrading to a Major Release.

Since heavy loads are expected when these updates are downloaded, users are advised to perform a manual upgrade to version 2.0.0.3 now.

See also:

• Firefox 1.5 will be supported until April 24, announcement of the Mozilla Foundation

(mba)