3-4 years later, no Spyware using Firefox
I help set up a computer for my computer illiterate uncle 3-4 years ago and did not have contact with it again until last Friday. When we bought the computer, I installed Microsoft defender, spybot, and spyblaster on them to help keep away spyware. However I knew that these programs would eventually become impotent because I knew he wouldn't take the time to update them regularly. I just told him to click on the firefox icon whenever he wanted to use the net instead of internet explorer to hopefully cut down on spyware infections, until the next maintenance session with me.
Just last Friday I took a look at his computer for an unrelated problem. This was the first time I touched his computer in 3-4 years. I checked his Firefox version and it said version 1.08!!! ( I imagine that I installed an earlier version of 1.0 series and it updated itself until 2.0 was released) Wow, thats was a long time ago wasn't it? To my surprise after running larvasoft ad aware for spyware. I found none, just ALOT of tracking cookies, but no unauthorized programs. Granted he wasn't the type of person to visit porn site or what not, but I said that 3-4 years of holding down the fort against spyware is simply amazing taking into account all anti spyware programs including Windows Defender Beta stopped working a long time ago. I must also note that his Norton 2003 stop updating because of subscription status a LONG time ago also.
Thus, when Firefox said no to spyware, it meant it, even with an old versions of Firefox. I think his computer would have exploded from spyware without my maintenance for 3-4 years if he used IE though..LOL Go Firefox!!!
