WebProNews

An issue with third-party extensions has led to a minor update of Firefox and the Thunderbird email client.

Firefox version 1.0.5 had been released earlier in July, to correct a small number of security issues. But that version proved to be problematic for some third-party extensions to Firefox, and the Mozilla foundation has had to provide an update to address the issue.

Now, version 1.0.6 of the Firefox browser has been released, along with an updated Thunderbird as well. This update restores API compatibility for extensions and web applications that weren't working in 1.0.5, according to the Mozilla web site.

With ongoing concerns about security problems in Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Firefox has made some gains in market share. While it has been reported Firefox still has less than ten percent of the market, it has grown to nearly nine percent and done so without being bundled with the Windows operating system, as IE is.

That growth has attracted more attention, and not just the good kind. With more users has come more criminals and other attackers who aim to find exploits either for gain or notoriety. Security by obscurity isn't an option for Firefox or Mozilla anymore.

Fortunately, the Firefox team seems up to the task of responding to these issues in rapid fashion. Maybe the potential of ten percent market share will be a step onward, and not just a nice mark to reach.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.