14 DAY TRIAL // At least some government officials and agencies are giving Google credit where it's due, Google Chrome was highlighted as the browser of choice for a security conscious user.
The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) put together a best practice guide for PCs running Microsoft Windows.
Among the other security practices that were recommended, Chrome was chosen as currently being the most secure browser out there.
"The browser is the central component for using any online service on the Web and therefore is the most critical attack surface for cyber attacks," the report recommends (in German).
"Therefore, if possible, you should use a browser with sandbox technology. The browser that currently most consistently implements this protection is Google Chrome," it added. "Comparable mechanisms implemented in other browsers are either weaker, or non-existent."
No browser is perfect, from a security stand-point and Google Chrome is no exception. No browser is going to be able to guarantee safety especially without other measures being taken, for example the use of anti-virus and anti-malware software. But Chrome does have the lead, for now, in the security department.
"Equally positive is the auto-update functionality of Google Chrome, which includes a bundled version of the Adobe Flash Player. By bundling it with Chrome, the Adobe Flash Player will also always be kept up to date," the report also said.
This part is equally important. No browser is secure if it is out of date. While most browsers provide security updates swiftly, Chrome does it in the most seamless manner as people may not even notice that the browser has been updated.
Other browsers do have automated update mechanisms, but still require user confirmation. This may be great for giving the user the option to refuse the update, for whatever reason, but it also means that more people will put off applying the security patch.