urlclassifier3.sqlite woes on Firefox 3

The urlclassifier2.sqlite file contains information on known phishing sites that is used to warn you should you visit one. The information is downloaded by default from a Google database once a day. This functionality can be modified or turned off in “Tools → Options → Security

Firefox 3 contacts Google at each startup to get an updated list of known phishing websites and updates the same in the urlclassifier3.sqlite file. Agreed this is what makes our browser safe and secure but why is it bloating up in size? Are the phishing sites on the web increasing as fast as the size of this folder? Naah! Apparently, there’s a known bug in FF specific to this urlclassifier file which says that it has a lot of vacuum/blank space within and there ought to be a mechanism to automatically compress it effectively.Whatever might be the cause, its rapid size increase is somewhat disconcerting. Added to it is the fact that upon each startup, FF contacts the Google servers to get an updated list, which might be a drain on the CPU resources and in turn the notebook batteries (if you’re using one i.e.). There have been discussions about it over at the Mozillazine Forums in this thread and this thread and there seem to be a lot of people disconcerted by it.

The Solution? Well, the knowledge bas article suggested turning off the Phishing options in FF, which would mean unchecking of the following options under Tools>Options>Security: