Internet Explorer 5.5 is still considered an IE5 version. Unfortunately, Micro$oft products are pretty big targets. You do need to keep up with fixes as they come out.

My S.O. recently "moved up" to 5.5 when the @#%$! b...ds from Intuit dumped it on her with the installation of TurboTax. No notice, and no request for permission. Their dump disabled security upgrades she already had installed with IE5, - and it CANNOT be uninstalled using the "uninstall software" routine without reverting back to the default 5.0 - or by manually deleting some 60 files and reinstalling from scratch.

Download and installation of current security fixes - from scratch, with my POTS connection is at least a 6 hour process for any IE version, including a default back to her original 5.0. I have removed all Intuit products from my 4 machines, just because they p.o.- ed me.

[End Rant]

If you got IEx.x anywhere except from a Microsoft Installation CD for a current operating system, then you need to download some fixes. They're free, but may take some time.

You can check your status in IE by clicking Help - About.

IE5 should show you, as a minimum, Version 5.00.3314.2101, Cipher Strength: 128-bit, Update Versions SP2; q295106; q306121; q313829. The "extra digits" on the version indicate upgrade levels.

IE5.5 should be at least Version 5.50.4807.2300, Update Versions:SP2.

There are also some security upgrades for various operating systems, including separate JavaScript/VM patches - different for each OS; but I don't have citations at hand now. I'll take a look at what I've done recently, and come back if I find something that needs special emphasis.

You can start at the Microsoft Download Center if you're not current - or just want to check what's new.

John