Freak Attack is the name of a new SSL/TLS vulnerability that came to light on March 3, 2015. The vulnerability can be exploited by hackers to weaken the encryption used between clients and servers when HTTPs connections are used.
Browser’s are not necessarily vulnerable on all systems they support. Chrome is for instance vulnerable on Android and Mac OS X but not on Windows.
Firefox appears to be the only browser not affected by the vulnerability at all on all systems it supports.
Since Internet Explorer is affected by the vulnerability on Windows, it is important to check whether your PC is vulnerable and do something about it if that is the case.
The easiest way to do that is to use the Freak Client Test Tool which tests for the vulnerability and reports back if your browser is vulnerable or not.
(For more info read the rest of this article on ghacks.net )
OK , I went to this Freak Client Test Tool and everytime I go, it keeps saying to update my browser! Problem is, it’s as updated as it can get. So I’d say it doesn’t work.
No version of Internet Explorer is safe, no matter what version. Maybe Microsoft will fix it soon. Chrome is not vulnerable (on Windows) and Firefox is not vulnerable – so if you want to be safe, don’t use Internet Explorer until Microsoft fixes it.
This is all wonderful and very interesting but how do us ordinary everyday computer users decipher all of that techie talk? I read through the article on ghacks.net and gave up before I got finished!!! Is there any way this can be explained and resolved in the English language?
I do get the big scary red alert that I am vulnerable on both counts. Oh my!
Simply put: The browser you use determines if you’re vulnerable to the FREAK exploit which is basically an exploit of how your browser handles SSL (encryption on secure web sites ) You can tell if a Web site us using SSl (secure socket layers) because it begins with https:// and not http:// . Only sites dealing with sensitive or financial information must use SSL but you’ll find other sites using it too.
As of right now… Internet Explorer (all versions) is vulnerable to the FREAK exploit. Google Chrome on Windows is not. Firefox is not. So if you want to be safe from the FREAK exploit, don’t use IE until Microsoft fixes it.
I’m with Nora, this is all Greek to me. Read the article, Use Windows 7 Professional, and Emsisoft, but got a red banner saying my Browser is at risk. I use Firefox. Haven’t a clue what to do about this.
You are using an old version of Firefox — please install the newest version.
I am using a tablet and it says I am vulnerable even though I am using the current version of Chrome. So what are we to do?
Use something other than Chrome on your tablet until Chrome updates to fix the error. You can get Firefox for Android, and I believe for iPad too (not sure). I know you can use Safari with iPad. Also, you can try Dolphin on Android too.
I can’t seem to keep Firefox my default browser. After following the suggestions in Firefox to change it through the control panel , each time I open my computer I find that it has reverted back to IE ( checked ‘warn’ if Firefox is not my default). Stumped.
You can’t change Firefox home page in control panel, only IE. You have to change Firefox home page in Firefox.
I checked and all is wonderful with my browser. Thanks again. I’ll sleep better tonight. Irene xxx
http://gizmodo.com/microsoft-has-patched-freak-on-windows-pcs-1690737040?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29