Microsoft’s Head of Security and Privacy in the UK has told TechRadar that people who jump ship from Internet Explorer after the recent spate of bad headlines risk ending up on a less secure browser. With France and Germany both advising a move away from Internet Explorer, things are far from rosy for Microsoft’s browser […yet] Microsoft’s UK security chief Cliff Evans insists that a non-Microsoft browser is the worse option. “The net effect of switching [from IE] is that you will end up on less secure browser,” insisted Evans. “The risk [over this specific] exploit is minimal compared to Firefox or other competing browsers… you will be opening yourself up to security issues.

Let’s fight FUD with facts…

Vulnerability Report: Mozilla Firefox 3.5.x

Unpatched: 0

Vulnerability Report: Google Chrome 3.x

Unpatched: 0

Vulnerability Report: Opera 10.x

Unpatched: 0

Vulnerability Report: Apple Safari 4.x

Unpatched: 0

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x

Unpatched: 24

Most Critical Unpatched: Extremely critical

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.x

Unpatched: 11

Most Critical Unpatched: Extremely critical

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.x

Unpatched: 4

Most Critical Unpatched: Extremely critical

My recommendation if you use Windows: make sure the version of IE that’s installed (because you can’t uninstall it!) is the latest/least vulnerable (IE8) and then install at least one of the non-IE browsers listed (personally I always recommend Firefox :) and then use THAT. Of course, you could always switch to a Mac or Linux…

Related: Internet Explorer – Endless Security Problems

Update Jan. 21:

Firefox released version 3.6!

Microsoft issued an emergency patch to plug the Aurora exploit which they apparently have known about since AUGUST. Here are Secunia’s updated IE numbers:

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x

Unpatched: 23

Most Critical Unpatched: Moderately critical

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.x

Unpatched: 10

Most Critical Unpatched: Moderately critical

Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.x

Unpatched: 3

Most Critical Unpatched: Less critical

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

Like this: Like Loading... Related