Windows XP and Firefox browser amass worst vulnerability record over past 25 years

Sourcefire study looks at software with highest number of high-severity vulnerabilities

In a look at the number of vulnerabilities recorded over 25 years in software products and open source, a researcher at Sourcefire has determined that Microsoft Windows XP and the Mozilla Firefox browser stand out as the two with the largest number of high-severity vulnerabilities.

Windows XP has had 453 while Firefox has had 433 vulnerabilities rated high and critical based on the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database and the second source for the statistics, the National Vulnerability Database from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). High-severity vulnerabilities mean attackers can potentially fully compromise the user's machine. The total number of vulnerabilities for all the products and open-source software that has accumulated over 25 years has hit 50,000, according to Sourcefire, which is discussing the results of its research at the RSA Conference this week.

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For high-severity vulnerabilities, the product Windows XP earns the dubious position of the No.1 spot. "What's also interesting here is that of the top four browsers that have a total of 90% of the browser market share, Firefox has the most vulnerabilities in every category, followed by Chrome, then Internet Explorer and finally Safari," the report concludes.

Ellen Messmer is senior editor at Network World, an IDG publication and website, where she covers news and technology trends related to information security. Twitter: MessmerE. E-mail: emessmer@nww.com.

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