bugtraq - RE: RIP: ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer?

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Message-ID: <20030830135500.28200.qmail@mail.securityfocus.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 08:59:36 -0500
From: "Alun Jones" <alun@...is.com>
To: "'BUGTRAQ@...URITYFOCUS. COM'" <BUGTRAQ@...URITYFOCUS.COM>
Subject: RE: RIP: ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard M. Smith [mailto:rms@...puterbytesman.com] 
> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 12:18 PM
> 
> However, it looks like support for ActiveX controls is going 
> to be removed from Internet Explorer.  A small company called 
> Eolas recently won a $521 million judgment against Microsoft 
> for patent infringement.  The Eolas patent covers plugins in 
> Web pages to show multimedia content.  

Okay, it's time for the "elephant in the living room":

The descriptions I've heard of this suggest that this patent could be
applied equally to prevent (or grab payment from implementors of)
Javascript, Java, Flash, etc.

I'm with you on the security issues with ActiveX (and Javascript) - I
disable ActiveX on the principle that it has no security consideration, and
Javascript on the basis that it's been frequently implemented in a
vulnerable manner.  But this is a considerably further-reaching patent than
merely killing off ActiveX.  Before we sing "ding dong the witch is dead",
let's have some concern for the peaceful Wiccans that might be next on the
chopping block.

Alun.
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