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February 09, 2006
Review: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, And Other Browsers In Four-Way Shootout Firefox 1.5: Security Truths
The main thing that makes Firefox more secure is that it doesn't support Microsoft's ActiveX and VBScript. In addition, you're very likely better insulated from Web-based drive-by spyware and malware while using Firefox merely because Internet Explorer is a victim of its over-85 percent browser market share. Spyware is big business, and if you're a spyware programmer (and if you are, get a new profession, please), the Web browser that has the big bull's-eye on it is the one that most people are using: Internet Explorer. I have purposely visited known spyware-inflicting Web sites with both Internet Explorer and Firefox, and I can vouch for Firefox's comparative immunity.
Don't think for a second, though, that Firefox is completely immune. I believe there are other aspects about Firefox that make it potentially more vulnerable than the Mozilla community admits to. Mozilla talks about how "the Firefox community of developers and security experts works around the clock to monitor security issues and release updates." Well, okay, but Microsoft does the same thing. There is nothing inherently more secure about Firefox or the way the open-source Mozilla development community works on security vulnerabilities. But so long as you understand that Firefox's added layer of security is not intrinsic to the program, and could be ephemeral, there's no reason not to take advantage of it while you can! Indirect Benefits
So there's an additional benefit of the Mozilla Firefox browser. With something like a 7 to 10 percent browser usage market share, it's the only browser that has shown any potential to make inroads on IE's vast market-share majority. The likelihood that Firefox will eventually make significant inroads isn't high, but the threat was enough to prod Microsoft to start developing Internet Explorer 7. That's good for everyone. Just in case you're wondering: It's no problem to install two or more browsers on your Windows computer. And you don't have to uninstall Internet Explorer first. You can only have one "default" browser at a time; but you can have as many browsers installed on your computer as you want. All major browsers offer a setting somewhere in options that directs the program to ask whether you'd like to make it the default browser at launch. For more information about setting a default browser, see these links:
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