14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft will soon debut Windows 8.1 Preview and the new Internet Explorer 11, but the software maker uses every single occasion to praise the existing versions of its browser too.
This time, it was Internet Explorer 10’s turn to be brought back in the spotlight, as the Softies used the findings of a study performed by NSS Labs to show everyone that its in-house browser is much safer than rivals.
In case you are wondering, NSS Labs is “an independent security research and testing organization,” so the recently released Browser Security Comparative Analysis should really be trusted.
That’s what Microsoft claims anyway.
When it comes to real-world attacks, IE 10 blocks more attempts than other browsers.
In fact, Microsoft claims that its own browser is so good that it blocks no less than 99 percent of malware.
“Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all use Google’s Safe Browsing API to block malicious URLs at about a 10% success rate. Most of Chrome’s protection comes after users have downloaded malicious software, in the form of a warning," it said.
“By comparison, Internet Explorer 10’s SmartScreen URL filtering alone blocks as much as Chrome—and when Application Reputation is added, IE10 blocked over 99% of malware.”
As far as vulnerabilities go, Internet Explorer is once again top notch. According to data collected by Microsoft, Secunia released only 10 security advisories for IE, while Chrome and Firefox were mentioned in 28 and 21 such warnings, respectively.
Internet Explorer had only 41 security vulnerabilities in 2013, while Google was pretty busy to patch a total of 291 flaws in its own browser. 257 different glitches were reported in Mozilla Firefox alone.
“These results agree with the US NIST National Vulnerability Database, which tracks all software vulnerabilities. Of course not all these vulnerabilities may be prone to attack, but this is a good proof point for the success of the Secure Development Lifecycle process and the high quality of Internet Explorer engineering in protecting people from vulnerabilities,” the Softies explained.
As mentioned, Microsoft will soon roll out the new Internet Explorer 11, so expect some significant improvements in the browser. More details will be provided later this week, so we’ll keep you posted.