Well I am sure most of you have had the same thoughts on browsers these days; especially after Microsoft came out with their security warning about holes in IE’s security (holes? no kidding…). I find it difficult to use IE after Microsoft came out and warned us about it having problems… I currently use Maxthon but it seems to be lagging behind on updates. How is IE 8 coming along? I usually don’t use anything from Microsoft until they have had it on the market a while and people like you tell their people where the holes are and how to fix them…
So what to use; that is the question… I can’t tell if Avast helps make my browser more secure; is there any in poarticular that Avast works better with?
SmartScreen
Cybercriminals continue to rely on deceptive social engineering attacks to prey on unsuspecting web users. Whether it’s via an email that appears to be from your bank, a search result for popular content such as games and movies, an advertisement or a link in an instant message promising free stuff, or a fake notification from a social networking site, there is virtually no trick they haven’t tried. We developed the SmartScreen filter for Internet Explorer 8 so you can browse with more confidence – knowing you have a greater chance of being protected when you are targeted by one of these attacks.
I use IE8 and I love it. It has been tested a few times and shown to be the best of all the browsers in blocking malware in it’s default out of the box configuration. the SmartScreen filter is fantastic. It has caught a couple of rogue antivirus things and shut down the page they were on before my security suite even got a shot at them.
But–in order for Firefox to achieve the security level of IE8, it needs to have addons installed. to me, that’s a flaw. they even recommend installing the addons. If they know you need the addons to be secure, why don’t they incorporate them into the program to begin with? I can’t figure that out.
funny MS acknowledging about IE security flaws…I’d love to have the link. Firefox’s a million times more secure than Internet Explorer, add-ons or not. There’s nothing to demonstrate anymore there, for years now. Internet Explorer has never been and will never be secure. It is Microsoft’s shaming component in Windows, and it should be discontinued if you ask me. It’s not just not secure, its outdated, version after version still based on the old good Internet Explorer we had in Windows 95. They know it at MS, they damned know it. They’re now developing a completely new interface called “gazelle”…as a response to Google Waves and Google Chrome OS… Hope that’s not vaporware.
Not siding with IE nor FF, but flaws are just “there”. It just doesnt go away^^
If there is someone or something that doesnt have a single flaw, then something or someone will make one for it/him/her.^^
I am not a “fanboy” I will acknowledge anything’s faults as well as it’s strengths but I will defend anything and anybody against unfair and inaccurate attacks. Certainly IE has had it’s share of flaws, but so have every one of the competing browsers. Actually they’re not really flaws because no one can forsee how malicious individuals will find holes in software you have spent years in developing and testing to make sure it works properly at what it’s designed to do. The emphasis is on making it work in the existing environment where it will be used, not some impossible to see future where lowlifes have found ways to exploit it.
Internet Explorer has never been and will never be secure. It is Microsoft's shaming component in Windows, and it should be discontinued if you ask me.
You're allowed to have your own opinion.
There isn't any browser that's safe. They all have flaws. IE 8 is as good as FF and FF is as good as Opera and at the moment I'm using Google Chrome.
Admiralbutthead,
Maxthon is a browser based on IE with some extra bells and whistles but its still uses the same engine as Microsoft Internet Explorer.
thanks ;D so they’re all as good hey…when diplomacy equals absurdity. Saying that IE’s as good as Firefox is like saying that Mars’s the planet next door Opera and Chrome are good, in their own way…IE’s ugly, in every way, and Firefox is of course not 100% safe, but the safest of them all, and by far.
Now that extensions coming to Chrome and SRWareIron it is a reliable fast browser.
Firefox with some security extensions is also very reliable, I use it with NoScript and RequestPolicy and ABP. Browser development is a constant fight against bugs, leaks and exploits, always update and patch and use your common sense,
Absolutely correct and it is also true that presently, all the browsers are pretty equal, it’s just a matter of personal choice (except for Chrome being by far the ugliest lol). I prefer IE8 because I like the interface, I prefer it’s downloader over the others, and because my clean up utilities work better with it than with any of the others. People are free to choose and competition only makes all the products stronger and better.
Thanks for all the info; now I have some reading to do. I should have known that would have started a “discussion” of opinions on which is the best browser. I should have said which is the most secure for the average user, which I know most of you guys that replied are not the average user. I don’t mind installing more security in my browser, as I will have to do with FF but the average user (at least the ones I know) will not be comfortable doing that.
I’ve been using Maxthon so long I don’t recall what I used before that but I recall using several others in the distant past. I have never had a problem with Maxthon until 10 days ago when something tried (I think Avast blocked at least part of it but it tried again as soon as I hit the buttons to cancel/close it) to install itself when I clicked on a link (but I was using an older version). I immediately turned off the computer and pulled the HDD and installed my backup HDD… I’m about ready to scan the original HDD and see what bug I got.
And I liked it’s extra bells & whistles. I thought for sure that MS would add those options to IE 7 or 8 but haven’t explored IE 8 yet… I am now using ATF cleaner.
I think Opera “stands head & shoulders above” all other browsers in all aspects except the default skin is ugly & Firefox’s Foxmarks is 110% better than Opera’s bookmarks synchronizer, it’s a disaster!
Have you seen Matt’s (Mrizos) reviews of the browsers in regard to their ability to block malware? He didn’t post one for Opera and when asked why, said that he had tested it, and it did so badly, that he thought posting a video of it would be useless.
Indeed, I’ve gotten an impression that you are more interested in knowledge about browsers rather than people arguing over what is the securest browsers. Personally, I have my own choice and preference but here you have Secunia’s advisories.
So, according to secunia advisory, at the moment, Apple Safari and Google Chrome don’t have known vulnerabilities and Opera 9 (I couldn’t find Opera 10 info there) has a moderately critical vulnerability at the moment. Firefox 3.5 and IE 8 has minor vulnerabilities but, according to Microsoft, there is a critical vulnerability in IE, which are going to be patched on this patch Tuesday as well as other critical/important vulnerability on wide range of their product.
At least, I could say it may not be wise to browse with IE till the critical vulnerability is patched. Other than that, I think the comment below by CharleyO is the golden rule.
At the end of the day, this is why we need to check out the latest information about security, not depending on the choice of our browsers.
Opera and Chrome are good, in their own way…IE’s ugly, in every way, and Firefox is of course not 100% safe, but the safest of them all, and by far.