Are you a privacy enthusiast? If so, Mozilla has some exciting news for you. The organization has just released a Firefox 81 update, its most estable version of the browser, so far.
Previous releases from Mozilla usually focused on aspects like developer support. This time it’s different.
Firefox 81 now brings several exciting new user interface (UI) & user experience (UX) improvements.
For instance, the release includes an amazing new theme and many important bug fixes.
Read on to find out more.
Firefox 81 Update: Rare UI and UX Improvements
UI improvements are a treat to Mozilla fans as the organization’s updates usually focus on privacy.
When they do happen, however, they are quite welcome.
Some of the new changes are:
(1) New Theme – AlpenGlow
Firefox’s new theme – Alphen Glow – is the highlight of this release.
The theme has a colorful mix of pink, purple, and black shades, being suitable for those who like default “Dark modes.”
Users can now choose Alpenglow or the other 3 default themes from Firefox (monochromatic, Light, or Dark).
You can activate Alpenglow by clicking on Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes.
Want to update already? Mozilla has a guide here.
(2) New Skin For PDF Viewer
Firefox has many advantages, but its PDF viewer was a bit lackluster.
The new release brings changes in the form of a new skin for its in-built PDF viewer.
Firefox’s PDF Viewer now has a standard look instead of seeming like an old add-on that the developers abandoned.
(3) More PDF Updates
The Mozilla Developers seem to be focusing quite a bit on PDF updates.
Firefox 81 now supports AcroForm or Acrobat Form Technology in its built-in PDF reader.
Users can now fill, print, and save PDF forms in their browser itself provided that interactive fields are supported by the PDF. No separate PDF apps will be needed.
(4) Updates For Movie and Music Lovers
Firefox 81 users can now control audio and video playback of their browsers using keyboard multimedia keys.
(5) UX Updates for Credit Card Information
Users will now be able to save, modify and auto-fill credit card data on Firefox.
The feature is currently under testing and available only to individuals in the U.S.A and Canada.
Important Bug Patches Makes Updating a Must
UI and UX improvements are not the only thing included in Firefox 81update.
They have also included several bug fixes and updates to security and privacy. These include three high-severity flaws that may steal information or inject malicious code.
The first two bugs are CVE-2020-15674 which was reported in Firefox 80, and CVE-2020-15673 which was reported in Firefox ESR 78.2.
These two bugs are errors in the browser’s memory safety precautions. They can lead to memory corruption and be exploited to run malicious code.
A third serious bug, CVE-2020-15675, is a problem in dynamic memory that may lead to exploitable crashes.
There are also several flaws of moderate severity that were fixed in the update.
Finally, a privacy update now makes Firefox 81 highlight if an installed extension has access over the setting “Ask to save website logins and passwords.”
Stay Protected Against Zero-Day Threats
Reputed software creators like Mozilla are increasingly coming up with patches for zero-day bugs.
In fact, the number of updates has started to overwhelm many firms as they struggle to keep up.
There’s hope however and you don’t have to fight against cybercrime alone.
Our experts at MyItGuy stand ready to help.
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