graeme_p - 5:52 am on Oct 10, 2012 (gmt 0)

Not true. You do not need special permissions to install anything in your own user directory (which is one reason you need things like Apparmour). The problem with .desktop files is that they are executed even without execute permissions.

I agree Linux is a lot more secure, but its not perfect.

@dstiles, I have noticed some extensions and most plugins in the Ubuntu repos, and other extensions are installed per user, not system wide, from what is effectively a repo (using a different mechanism) run by Firefox, so I do not see that as a huge risk.

I agree web browsers are the problem. There are solutions, but they are either imperfect (user multiple browsers or profiles for different uses), or inconvenient (Apparmour, running multiple browsers as different users).