With so many popular options to choose from and the constant threat cyber attacks pose to one’s personal safety, it might be difficult to decide on a web browser that could prevent users from falling victim to malware of phishing. At the moment, there are three top competitors on the market battling for the title of the safest web browser: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.
Top Competitors
Even though all three are free to download, Microsoft Edge is exclusive for Windows 10. It may come as a shock for some, especially because of the jokes that have been circulating over the internet in the past years, but Microsoft Edge was dubbed the most secure web browser.
While Google Chrome has some aces up his sleeve, it still isn’t enough to go against Windows latest web browser. Ultimately, Mozilla Firefox was found to be the least effective against malware and phishing attacks.
Official Report
According to a recent survey conducted by NSS Labs, Microsoft Edge was able to block 99 percent of malware, while Chrome couldn’t handle more than 85.8 percent. Mozilla Firefox successfully managed to block only 78.3 percent of malware.
In order to determine which is the safest browser, NSS Labs tested them against 304 phishing pages and Socially Engineered Malware.
Features that Promote Safe Web Browsing
SmartScreen is among the most effective tools against phishing and malware. The feature was first integrated into Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 and is otherwise known as a “phishing filter”. Upon accessing a web page that contains malware, SmartScreen steps in displaying a bright red page that informs the users about the dangers they expose themselves to if they continue navigating on said page.
Maybe a slightly less popular feature is the Microsoft Edge’s Sandbox. This security mechanism breaks up a browser’s components into separate tabs. As a result, should either plugins, tabs, or windows contain malware, sandboxing will prevent it from spreading to other areas of the computer. While Google Chrome also comes with this feature, Mozilla Firefox does not have it.
In conclusion, even though the NSS Labs’ report states that the Microsoft Edge is the safest web browser to use, Google Chrome is not so far behind itself and Mozilla Firefox is rapidly closing in, as well. With this being said, more features need to be implemented for either one in order to name a clear winner.
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