Security expires on older Netscape browsers

Come Saturday, users of older Netscape Communications Corp. browsers may find their trusty Web-surfing software no longer provides secure Internet transactions.

After Dec. 31, the certificate authority (CA) will expire in versions of older Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator browsers. The CA is a digitally recognized identification that ensures secure online transactions, necessary when making online purchases or distributing personal information.

Anyone using Netscape versions 4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 4.5, 4.51, 4.6, 4.61 and the current Version 4.7 will not be affected.

To correct the problem, users may download Version 4.7 for free from Netscape's World Wide Web site (www.netscape.com).

The 9M file could take more than two hours to download with a 28.8 kilobits/sec modem, and some users have reported the inability to access the software file.

Netscape did not have an estimate of how many people would need to upgrade their browsers, but according to a company spokesperson, extra capacity was made available on the Web server to ensure accessibility to the software.