MoD accused of "workplace cruelty" by sticking with IE6

Members of the Armed Forces will carry on using Microsoft's outdated Internet Explorer 6 browser, contravening the government's own advice on internet security.

According to parliamentary written answers received by labour MP Tom Watson, the majority of government departments still require staff to use IE6. Most have plans to upgrade to the more secure IE7, and some to IE8, but the Ministry of Defence has no plans to change.

The MOD is implementing a secure desktop computing service for 300,000 users worldwide through its Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) programme, but defence minister Quentin Davies said: "DII currently uses Internet Explorer 6 and at the current time does not have a requirement to move to an updated version."

Tom Watson expressed his dismay at the response. "Many civil servants use web browsers as a tool of their trade. They're as important as pens and paper. So to force them to use the most decrepit browser in the world is a rare form of workplace cruelty that should be stopped."


Kable: MoD sticks with insecure browser