Google-funded Study Found Chrome to be Safest Browser
Accuvant, a security services and software firm based in Denver, has published an exhaustive study funded by Google that compares the security features in the three most popular browsers.
Other than previous studies by the firm, which often focused on quantitative comparisons such as the number of vulnerabilities affecting a browser, Accuvant took a different approach and investigated the "anti-exploitation" features included in a browser. The result? Chrome is the most secure browser, followed by IE and then Firefox. Also noteworthy is the conclusion that frequently praised URL blacklisting isn't working effectively.
According to the study, which stretches itself over more than 100 pages, with 25 pages of explanation why traditional methods of security evaluations of browser may not be useful, Chrome wins because of its most comprehensive support of address space layout randomization (ASLR), data execution prevention (DEP), stack cookies, sandboxing, and JIT hardening. Chrome largely wins the comparison because of its sandboxing features, which are only partially in IE and Firefox. IE has the best implementation of JIT hardening, followed closely by Chrome. Firefox lacked all tested JIT hardening features.
While Accuvant did not compare the browsers' security based on the number of vulnerabilities, the researchers said that, during the timeframe of the study, Mozilla patched 449 vulnerabilities, Google 321 and Microsoft 168. Microsoft requires, on average, 214 days to patch a vulnerability, Mozilla 158 and Google 53. Accuvant stated that it would be speculation to draw any security conclusions from those numbers.
However, the company spent quite some time on evaluating URL blacklisting services, which is called Smartscreen Filter in IE, Safe Browsing List in Chrome. Between July 23, 2011 through July 30, 2011, Accuvant tested the browsers against an average of 5960 URLs containing malware per day and concluded, "no URL blacklisting service is fully comprehensive, and that any antipattern-based defensive measure is, by definition, imperfect." As a result, the firm advices that "blacklisting services should be considered a part of the overall browser defense model, rather than the only perimeter an attacker must traverse."
This result contradicts a previous survey by NSS Labs, which found that IE's Smartscreen Filter helps to capture nearly all socially engineered malware attacks. Accuvant found that "neither Google’s Safe Browsing service nor Microsoft’s URS appears to provide a fully comprehensive snapshot of all malware in the wild at any given point in time."
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no opera or safari? joke.
I smell paid off people.
no opera or safari? joke.
They said most popular. It's usually between chrome and firefox but you can't leave internet explorer out o.o
Title says it all. Of course a Google-funded study will find Chrome to be the safest. It's like having HP fund a study about printers, and the results say HP makes the best printers.
oh this does not surprise me...
paid off? want to keep your job? lol
Read title = read article
OOh but it works!
Obviously there's little chance that the researchers were encouraged to treat Chrome more friendly! It's not like Google's money had any influence over them!
/sarcasm
Microsoft funds a study that finds IE to be the safest browser.
Google funds a study that finds Chrome to be the safest browser.
I fund a study that finds out that I'm having chicken pad thai for lunch, also that I am the safest browser.
Of course the study found chrome safer. It was done by Google! Bias much?! Do you really think that Google would come out and say "Well, as compared to other browsers, our was less secure and glitchy."
Of course the study found chrome safer. It was done by Google! Bias much?! Do you really think that Google would come out and say "Well, as compared to other browsers, our was less secure and glitchy."
I'm sorry, I retract my statement. It was "Funded" by Google. As if that makes a difference.
Someone expected to see another browser on top? lol. Not because Chrome is something exceptional but it's a google test... so chrome will be on top whatever fanboys say.
Honestly I think that if Microsoft focuses a little more on the browser, Chrome would be beaten easily. Saying this because IE9 was released and was very good, then the others cought up with it and microsoft didn't care sort of.
I don't like seeing 4 different browser versions per year like Chrome and Firefox right now but I don't like seeing an update once a year or less like IE either. If there is balance all of the companies behind them would profit from it.
Google funds Firefox too, so therefore Mozilla is making Firefox suck on purpose to get more people to use Chrome!
Google funds Firefox too, so therefore Mozilla is making Firefox suck on purpose to get more people to use Chrome!
Troll science 101
JIT hardening LOOLLL! Just In Time hardening hahaha
I was a bit skeptical when I read "google funded". But honestly it seemed like it was fairly unbiased. They clearly gave google's safe browsing list a failing grade. They also gave Microsoft the JIT hardening win.
Wait now they used the word safest which is already patented by Apple.
Yesterday, when I was using Opera, I banged my knee once, and then fell off the chair when the back gave way, and scraped my arm.
If I only knew then, what I know now, it could have been avoided.
I'm switching to Chrome before I burn my house down. Or hurt a dog.
How about an independent 3rd part study by a non profit organization? This "study" is a farce.
Title says it all. Of course a Google-funded study will find Chrome to be the safest. It's like having HP fund a study about printers, and the results say HP makes the best printers.
i trust google enough that they would have the results either burried, or modify the browser to the point that its the best and re test... not just bold face lie about this.
they have more to lose than microsoft that bundle ie with the os
Thats like saying "Research funded by tobacco company discovered that cigarettes are not so dangerous after all"
Google-funded Study Found Chrome to be Safest Browser
Google paid some people to research, and their results were in Google's favor.
Surprise!
So if we get a microsoft funded study the IE9 would be safest?
So if we get a microsoft funded study the IE9 would be safest?
Nah. Even MS can't lie through their teeth that openly.
So if we get a microsoft funded study the IE9 would be safest?
Nah. Even MS can't lie through their teeth that openly.
There has already been a M$-funded study that found IE9 was the safest...
Wow. Being paid, no wonder.
so where is the Mozilla paid study?
seriously, there should be an independent party that test/benchmark safety of all the browsers.
It all depends on how you prioritize the things you test, or if you just add them all up. I'm pretty sure that if you can make malware "conquer" ASLR, then sandboxing isn't going to stop you either.
LoL, Since the report is commissioned by Google, they will test from the aspects which are good for chrome.
I insist IE is the most secure browser. That why I’d rather use IE or IE based browsers like Avant browser and Maxthon.
of course
Its kinda sad how we cant ever have unbiased review of anything AT ALL nowadays... games/movies/products are all skewed reviews all over... hell even I start to fear user reviews.