Which is the safest browser?

[Security]

I'm aware of the security lapses in Internet Exploror - but how do the other browsers compare on issue of security?

More to the point, is there a general comparison of Mozilla, Opera, Safari, etc, showing how secure they are against a range of different threats? It would certainly make for interesting reading if there is.

Any pointers?

[Iain Gill]

Really, it depends on what is meant by 'security', many of the alternate browsers have different options available to them, but they all seem to have pop-up blocking, cookie handling, etc.

The main security issue with Internet Explorer (as I have explained many times in the past in other places) is that it is integrated with the Operating System, meaning that when you surf the internet using an Administrator account (which many people do, myself included), and you accidently stumble into a malformed webpage, it gives that page administrative access to your system. Put simply, the malware can do whatever it wants anywhere on your system/network.

To defeat this problem, one should either use a non-administrative account when using the internet, or install a different browser.

I personally recommend Firefox, as it's light, fast, and free.

Don't know if this is any use, but it's does have a small security comparison chart near the bottom: http://my.opera.com/community/articl...rs/comparison/

[Security]

That's certainly an interesting chart - if rather considerably biased.

Yes, using FireFox here as well.

[Domainman]

IE use to be fine, used it since I started with computers, and never complained, The problem I think is more to do with the the facts that viruses malwares spyware have become more advanced. An IE correctly patched and with the right settings will do fine, and could be even superior to firefox and the rest.

[Security]

Indeed, a good point - though it does sounds like IE7 will be a vast improvement.

The impression given is that competition with FireFox especially is driving some real attempt at creating a full all-round package for IE7.

[OneofaKind]

I'm not an expert, but I've been made to understand that Firefox is pretty secure - that's what I use.

[Belson17]

Firefox is safer than Internet explorer?

[Security]

Apparently - or certainly until Internet Explorer stopped allowing ActiveX controls to run by default (and hence executing malware on nast sites).

These days I use Internet Explorer to visit my own websites, but use Firefox when doing general surfing.

[vicki2]

I just recently switched over to Foxfire and can't say enough good about it! It's good to see I getting a run made at it too.

[brian]

There are little things about Firefox that annoys me - problems copy/pasting from Firefox, and also it seems to hate Acrobat files and regularly crashes with them.