14 DAY TRIAL // One of the ways the Spectre hardware bug can be used to steal data from an unpatched computer is with the help of JavaScript attacks launched from the browser, and this is one of the reasons the majority of developers rushed to update their software.
Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Mozilla have all announced updates to protect browser users against Spectre attacks, though in the case of the search giant, a full mitigation will be shipped later this month and users are in the meantime recommended to turn on Site Isolation.
Running a secure browser is critical these days, especially with all the craze regarding the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, so making sure you’re protected and all the patches are installed is vital.
This is why this web-based checker from Chinese firm Tencent comes in handy, as it promises to help users determine whether their browsers are vulnerable to Spectre attacks or not. The service works on both desktop and mobile devices, so you can test the browser of Windows, Linux, iPhone, and Android.
Secure and vulnerable browsers
We’ve run a series of tests to determine which browsers are listed as vulnerable to Spectre and on Android, only Opera and Brave were said to be exposed. Google Chrome, Samsung Internet Browser, and Firefox are all listed as being secure.
On Windows, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox are once again listed as protected against Spectre, but gHacks says Opera is flagged as vulnerable.
On iOS and macOS devices, Safari is listed as not vulnerable to Spectre by Tencent’s online checker.
For what it’s worth, users are recommended to install all the available security patches for their devices, as most device manufacturers and software developers whose products might be impacted by Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities have already shipped updates.
Intel says some 90 percent of the impacted devices should have patches by the end of the week, with further mitigations tackling possible slowdowns to be rolled out at a later time.
