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Mozilla has added to the security offerings coupled with their Firefox browser, which started last month with the release of version 3.5.3 and 3.0.14, and introduced a check to ensure Adobe’s Flash software was current. Now, they are offering to check all of the plugins installed on the browser to ensure they are current as well.
Mozilla continues security rollout – offers Plugin Check
Launched on Tuesday, Mozilla’s Plugin Check addresses two issues. The first is browser crashes related to the plugins themselves. Mozilla said that almost 30-percent of all crashes are related to third-party plugins. The second issue is security, as the Plugin Check will ensure users are protected from vulnerabilities in outdated plugins by reminding them to update.
Using the Plugin Finder Service, Perfides (JavaScript), and a central webpage, the Plugin Check service will query a central database of plugin information, and inform users about their status. An example of this is below.
Currently, the majority of plugins will be listed with an “Unable to Detect Plugin Version” message. Over time this will change, but the major plugins, such as Flash, QuickTime, Java, Windows Media Player, and Silverlight were all checked in our tests. Oddly, the Adobe Reader plugin was among those where a version couldn’t be detected.
Calling the web-based Plugin Check service a great start, Mozilla said they are working to expand it, so that it is embedded with the Firefox browser itself. Moreover, there are plans to make the Plugin Check service work with any browser in the future, as well as integrate it with the crash reporting system. In addition, they plan to turn it into a widget and evangelize the program through blogging systems like WordPress.
Mozilla has also asked the community for help with the project. Aside from the normal open source project jobs, such as bug reporting and code checks, they have created a form for community members to report plugins they may not know about. That form is here.
Access to the Plugin Check is here. When using it, Mozilla recommends that you install all updates first, and then restart the browser.
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