ALARM Group ALERT - click for a description of ALARM, The Computing Alert System Alert Number:  041907-01 Alert Date:  04/19/07 Alert Title:  Mozilla announces Thunderbird 2.0.0.0, end of support for Firefox 1.5.x Update-to:   None OS/Platform/Application:   Mozilla Thunderbird versions < 2.0.0.0 Mozilla FireFox versions 1.5.x Category:  ALERT Severity: MEDIUM Attention:  System Administrators, Desktop Support Personnel, Mozilla users

Summary:  The Mozilla Foundation has announced the release of an updated version of its popular Thunderbird Email client.  According to the vendor, Mozilla has "bolstered Thunderbird’s acclaimed security and privacy measures to ensure that your communications and identity remain safe" in version 2.0.0.0, and mentions Phishing, privacy and junk mail enhancements as components of this improvement (at the time of this writing Mozilla has not added any information about version 2.x to its Known Vulnerabilities page).

Mozilla has also announced that "Firefox 1.5.0.x will be maintained with security and stability updates until April 24, 2007. All users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to Firefox 2."

Recommended Actions:  Administrators/users of Mozilla Thunderbird are encouraged to read the release notes for Thunderbird 2.0.0.0 and consider upgrading to this version at their earliest convenience.  Firefox 1.5.x users are STRONGLY encouraged to upgrade to version 2.x as soon as possible.

ITS Actions: At this time, ITS is taking no specific additional actions to address this software update release/change in vendor support.

Resources:

Mozilla Main page (includes links to download newest versions of Thunderbird and Firefox):
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/