[Bush2000]

Nick Danger demonstrated to me that IE fails to indicate spoofed URLs while Firebird does not.

Per Nick, here are the URLs:

Firebird http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com%01@security.openwares.org/Update.htm
IE http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Clearly, the average person wouldn't be able to -- nor would they bother to -- distinguish between the two URLs.

[Way2Serious]

Clearly, the average person wouldn't be able to -- nor would they bother to -- distinguish between the two URLs."

But the deception is still there, regardless. And it took me all of a minute to discern it, once warned. It is you who inserted the qualifier "average person." It is the only way out of the argument for you, and a lame one at that.

So, what is Microsoft doing to help customers avoid or discern nefarious URL spoofing?