Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x Versus Mozilla Firefox 1.x
Picture: microsoft internet explorer |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x Versus Mozilla Firefox 1.x. Our first product review will deal with an essential tool for accessing online financial services: an Internet Browser.
We’ve decided to take a look at the two browser frontrunners
and compare them on the grounds of security and function especially in relation
to accessing popular financial sites online.
Security First
Our paramount concern when accessing financial information
online is that no one else is seeing what we’re seeing.
The worst case scenario is that when I access my bank
account online, I inadvertently give my username and password to a hacker
because my internet browser is compromised.
A browser that leaves exploits unpatched for weeks or longer
is an unacceptable risk for someone who depends on the Internet to complete
financial transactions.
During these unpatched periods if a computer becomes
infested with malware or viruses that log keystrokes or allow hackers to see
financial data, there isn’t much that can be done except reinstall the entire
operating system as Microsoft disclosed in April 2006.
Keeping the malware off the system is the first and last
line of defense. A secure browser is essential.
OK. So there’s nothing new under the sun here, but as
exploits abound, security can’t be emphasized enough. There has been a lot of
press coverage over the last year that has repeatedly emphasized that Mozilla
Firefox is the hands-down more secure browser. But “not so fast,” we say.
We wanted some numbers to back up this claim up so we turned
to a reputable security firm, Secunia. What we discovered might surprise you.
In 2005 Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x had 17 security advisories issued,
while Firefox 1.x had 22.
Read Also: Managing the Bottom Line
Secunia kindly provides us with these separate graphs on each browser to illustrate the point:
While some exploits might cause my browser to crash, others
might allow a hacker to take control of my computer remotely and install
keystroke loggers and other compromising software at will.
Therefore it is important to know how “critical” the
exploits for each browser are. Again, Secunia has the answer. In 2005 47% of
Internet Explorer’s exploits were rated either extremely or highly critical.
Similarly, as demonstrated in these charts, 32% of Firefox’s
exploits were either extremely or highly critical.
Again Secunia illustrates the data:
It’s on this front that Internet Explorer and Firefox begin
to stand apart. Of the 17 Microsoft advisories in 2005, 41% were unpatched
compared to no upatched exploits for Firefox.
Furthermore, there seems to be consensus among security
experts that the Firefox crew produces patches faster than Microsoft’s team. At
the time of this review Microsoft has left a critical advisory unpatched for
over a week with still no patch announced.
So we have to commend the Firefox crew for speedy patches
and confirm that the balance tips clearly in Firefox’s favor on the security
front.
Functionality Second:
The most secure browser in the world won’t do me any good if
it won’t display the pages I need to access. This was an especially problematic
issue for Firefox in the weeks and months immediately following the browser’s
release.
Many sites, in particular those that used Microsoft’s
ActiveX controls, would not display correctly in Firefox since Firefox does not
use ActiveX. Ironically ActiveX is one of the things that has cause repeated
security problems for Microsoft.
However now that more and more people are using Firefox,
most sites now function perfectly in Mozilla’s browser, making the transition
seamless for new users. In fact, we have yet to discover a financial site that
does not work in Firefox.
Conclusion:
The edge goes to Firefox in terms of security. In terms of
browser functionality on financial web sites we can find no difference. Since
we take security very seriously here at TravelFinances.com this makes Firefox
the clear browser winner. (*)