Microsoft: Chrome and Firefox - are unsafe

Microsoft started the website which defines in points the security level of different versions of the Internet Explorer (IE) browser and also browsers of competitors - Google and Mozilla. This website yourbrowsermatters.org tests the browser using a number of functions of control of security, and then charges point. The appreciation – four points.

Surprise did not become the fact that Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) won during the test a victory with magnificent account 4 of 4. The grown old IE8 which debut took place in 2009 could take 3. The browser from Google is Chrome 14 which is flowing "stable bild", left last month, will remove on the second place with assessment in 2.5 points. One more browser of monthly prescription - Firefox 7 from Mozilla, reached in rating the third place with result 2 points.

The Opera browsers from Otello Corporation (the former Opera Software) and Safari from Apple entering the five of the leading world browsers according to Microsoft, probably, are insufficiently competitive to receive at least some estimates. Concerning both programs the message is displayed: "We cannot assign score to your browser".

According to the statement of Microsoft, the new website and its check are intended for an illustration of unsafeness of old browsers: ten-year prescription IE6 gathered 0 of possible 4. "The browsers providing the most reliable protection against the most widespread threats, such as methods of malware of social engineering will get high point", - Roger Capriotti, the head on marketing of IE of Microsoft company in the blog on Tuesday noted.

For some time Microsoft praised highly possibilities of blocking of malware in IE8 and in the new version of IE9, regularly referring to the researches conducted by NSS Labs some of which are paid with Microsoft. Recently NSS Labs reported that IE9 rejects up to 99.2% of the malware and links. Kapriotti also referred to the last research Microsoft Intelligence Report in which the appeal not to exaggerate the importance of threats of vulnerabilities of "zero-day" in connection with their small share against the background of the general landscape sounds.

According to Kapriotti, the most serious threats result from the smart malware of the social engineering aimed at outdated software packages, such as old versions of web browsers. At this IE8 of two-year prescription in test result on the website was highly appreciated more, than new browsers from Google or Mozilla.

Microsoft stated that it together with unnamed researchers and the companies in the field of security, including Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), Identity Theft Council and Online Trust Alliance, developed rating methodology which published in full on the website. Microsoft is a premium member of these organizations.

And Kapriotti - in the blog, and Microsoft - in the description of methodology of assessment, expect a dispute over an occasion of these tests. "Such assessment of security as this often is a subject of numerous checks, and of course, one test cannot be made the ideal conclusion about all aspects of security of the browser", - Kapriotti emphasized.

Microsoft went further and said: "If you consider that this assessment of security is disputable, make better". The companies Google Mozilla did not comment on the test of Microsoft and assessment of the browsers also yet.