Since version 48.0.2 is no longer supported by Mozilla, automatic updates will try to upgrade you to a modern, 64-bit incompatible version (if your OS allows).
Mozilla maintains a public directory of every Firefox version ever released. This is the safest source. Firefox 48.0.2 Download 32 Bit
Firefox 48.0.2 is a specific, older version of the browser released in August 2016. While it was notable for being the last version to support certain older processors and providing stability fixes for the 48.0 release, using it today carries significant security risks. Since version 48
: Improved warnings for potentially harmful or "uncommon" downloads. Firefox 48
There is also the critical issue of security versus usability. A security expert would rightly warn that running Firefox 48.0.2 today is dangerous. It lacks decades of critical security patches, including fixes for the Meltdown and Spectre CPU vulnerabilities, TLS 1.3 support, and modern sandboxing techniques. Connecting such a browser to the modern web is akin to walking through a high-crime neighborhood with a 2016 map. However, informed users seeking this version often plan to use it in isolated environments—air-gapped machines, local intranets, or legacy web applications designed for Internet Explorer 6. In these controlled scenarios, security risks are mitigated, and the stability of a known, older rendering engine is a virtue. Newer browsers may choke on an old corporate portal’s ancient JavaScript, but Firefox 48.0.2 renders it perfectly.
