Firefox 3.0.6 Released - fixes security problem

Mozilla has made available for download the first release of its open source browser in 2009. Firefox 3.0.6 is now up for grabs, and with the exception of Firefox 3.1, which is still in beta stage, the only option for users who want to continue to use Mozilla's open source browser. As is the case with the updates delivered for Firefox, version 3.0.6 is nothing more than a security and stability refresh.

Mozilla has patched a total of six security vulnerabilities, one of which Critical, two rated with a risk impact of High, one Moderate and two Low. At the same time, Mozilla has resolved several stability issues with the browser. Users of Firefox 3.0.6 will no longer come across problems associated with parts of the screen displaying improperly the content after the browser was kept opened for extended periods of time.

Until the end of 2008, Mozilla provided security and stability updates for Firefox 2.0 and Firefox 3.0 in parallel. As of the second half of December 2008, this is no longer the case, as version 3.0 is not exclusively the focus of all support efforts, while its precursor has been killed off. While users can continue running Firefox 2.0.0.20, the last update of v2.0, they will expose themselves to unnecessary risks, considering that Mozilla no longer patches vulnerabilities for Firefox releases earlier than 3.0.

Firefox 3.0.6 for Windows

Firefox 3.0.6 for Linux

Firefox 3.0.6 for Mac

Mozilla Firefox 3 is focused on improved memory handling, performance, and stability, improved XUL, and new core components such as application data stored in SQLite. Firefox 3 is based on the Gecko 1.9 Web rendering platform, which has been under development for the past 34 months. This new platform includes more than 15,000 changes to improve performance, stability, rendering correctness, and code simplification and sustainability. Firefox 3 is been built on top of this new platform resulting in a more secure, easier to use, more personal product with a lot more under the hood to offer website and Firefox add-on developers.

As some of you may have noticed, the Mozilla Foundation distributes a few hours since an update to its flagship browser, Firefox 3.0.6. This new version is essentially correct some problems related to security or stability.

It also signs the withdrawal of the user ID when sending reports of incidents, and improve compatibility between the scripts and extensions. Finally, it resolves a display problem that could occur when the software was launched for too long.

In parallel, the Mozilla Foundation continues the development of Firefox 3.1, the next major version of a browser that continues to delight users to number one, Internet Explorer. According to Net Applications, the browser Microsoft's hold over the global, that 67.55% of market share, against 21.53% for Firefox.

Firefox 3.0.6 fixes several issues found in Firefox 3.0.5:

• Fixed several security issues.
• Fixed several stability issues.
• In previous versions of Firefox, some users experienced a problem where parts of the screen were not properly displaying after Firefox was open for long periods of time.
• Improved the ability for scripted commands (including those included in popular extensions like Adblock Plus) to work properly with plugins. (bug 438830)
• Removed the client user ID from crash reports.
• Fixed issues with the display of some Indic scripts.

Fixed in Firefox 3.0.6

• Directives to not cache pages ignored
• XMLHttpRequest allows reading HTTPOnly cookies
• Chrome privilege escalation via local .desktop files
• Local file stealing with SessionStore
• XSS using a chrome XBL method and window.eval
• Crashes with evidence of memory corruption (rv:1.9.0.6)