Security problems with Microsoft’s dominant Internet Explorer browser helped pave the way for Mozilla Firefox to emerge as a perfect alternative for Web surfers.

However, Firefox users should be aware that hackers can exploit software flaws and design features to launch drive-by attacks.

Following are steps to disable various features in Mozilla Firefox. Note that some menu options may change between versions or may appear in different locations depending on the host operating system. You should adapt the steps below as appropriate.

The following configuration changes, can disable various features and set up the browser to run in a secure state, limiting the damage from malware attacks.

To get started, select Tools, then Options.

You will then see an Options window that has a row of categories along the top. The first category of interest is the General category. Under this section, for instance, you can set Firefox as your default browser.

Under the Privacy category, you can select the Cookies subcategory. Here you can disable cookies or change your preferences for how the browser handles them. In general, we recommend enabling cookies for the original site only. Additionally, by enabling the option unless I have removed cookies set by the site, a web site can be “blacklisted” from setting cookies when its cookies are removed manually.

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