Internet Explorer 7 has the smallest Vulnerabilities

The first major version of IE in over 4 years of stagnation. Large portion of this program have been significantly rework. Microsoft dubbed it as the "most secure" version of Internet Explorer to date.

CENZIC APPLICATION SECURITY TRENDS REPORT – Q4, 2007, Internet Explorer has the smallest vulnerabilities by a 22% margin compared to Firefox. Surprised?



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To download the complete documentation from Cenzic, click here

 

It doesn't really mean anything. What are we measuring? Number of *found* vulnerabilities? Number of *fixed* vulnerabilities? Time spent from they were found until they were fixed? (IE has traditionally been lousy at the latter, which is an important measure)
Severity of vulnerabilities?
And how are they counted? As far as I know, Microsoft tends to bundle several fixes up in one, whereas Mozilla counts them as several independent fixes.

In short, comparing this is quite a lot more complex, and you can easily tweak the numbers to show anything you like.

And none of this matters too much, because IE7 is useless as a browser, secure or not.

 

nope, I dunno why but people thought of IE7 as a IE6 w/ new GUI, which is not the case. I use IE7 and it's great and I love it. It's the only browser that has its "tab" big enough for me >_>

 

It's not IE6 with a new GUI. It's closer to IE6.1.
It has some very minor improvements in standards support (and they *are* minor. Very minor).

The rest is GUI. (which you can tweak to your hearts content in Firefox anyway)

From a functionality point of view, IE7 is about on par with what you'd expect from a browser in 2002.
It continues the trend of forcing web developers to spend 50-70% of their time writing IE-specific hacks to work around Microsoft's incompetence. (With some 20% writing the actual site in the first place, and the remaining 10-30% time spent writing the necessary tweaks for *all* other browsers)

 

READ THIS:

"We included vulnerabilities in ActiveX controls within the “Other” category as they totaled less than 1 percent of the Web application vulnerability volume." - CENZIC

I'm surprised.

 

2nd Jalf in this one,

Opera used its own "measurement mechanism" in taunting its "Most secure" label until Mozilla helped them to see the way with security tooling.

Microsoft is playing the same game, so does Apple and its Safari. Until there is a "standard" security measurement, "agreeing" by all security firms (like web standards), these numbers r whoooooosh!

cheers ...

 

I'm going to have to disagree with you about IE7. It's a fantastic browser. What makes it so useless?

I've never had a problem with IE7, at all. It's fast, secure, and very stable. Atleast in my experience.

It does everything I need/want it to do.

 

I haven't used IE7 in ages. Does it support session control and session recovery yet? That was the major reason I moved away from IE7 before I got my Mac, as I would lose all my open tabs when Windows crashed on me.

 

Firefox is much better, and it looks like IE7 or is it that IE now looks like Firefox?

 

And like the Phoenix, the presumed dead and buried Inconsequential Experience resurrects the Browser Wars in a vain attempt to convince the living that it still matters.

 

Saying IE7 is Great is like Praising George Bush.

 

My IE7 has given me more problems than any Firefox I`ve ever used. In fact, sometimes I know it`s under attack,since the cpu ramps to 60 C from 33 C usual, just when using IE7.
Never had this issue before .

 

But it fails in the #1 criteria for a web browser. Its inability to understand web content. It doesn't understand XHTML, which is only a 9 year old standard, and which is what most websites are written in. (Or rather, they have to be written in a nasty hybrid of XHTML and IE-specific hacks to hide the fact that IE7 doesn't actually understand the code)

No, it doesn't. It does nothing you want it to do, and puts the burden on web designers to make a special version of their sites for IE, thereby doing all the work that IE7 is incapable of.

So you don't see its deficiencies, but not because IE7 "does what you need". Simply because "web designers do what you need, even if it means they need to take 3 times as long to create a website".

Personally, I don't think it's fair to make thousands of people suffer just because I'm too lazy to download a post-2002 browser. Your mileage may vary.

 

If you want session management and session/crash recovery download IE7Pro.

 

There is always a big difference between open source browsers and the standard browsers that come with the OS.

IE7 makes people more time to design their web sites because it's an advanced browser.

 

define "advanced browser" please or did u mean Advanced Browser, the one that derived from IE? if so, meaning people has to tweak ie to make it works? i would agree with u then that "ie makes people more time"

cheers ...

 

What? I'm sorry, but that is roughly 120% incorrect. Or perhaps you can explain what is so "advanced" about IE7, or why that would make it take longer to develop websites that work in it?

You just made the world a slightly dumber place.

IE7 is a pain to work with when designing websites because you have to fight it every step of the way to get it to do anything more advanced than what people used in 1998. Not because it's "advanced". There is nothing "advanced" about a browser that doesn't support 10 year old technologies yet.

 

I thought the #1 criteria of a web browser was to allow the end user to use the internet but I might be wrong.

 

IE 8 will, and will also supposedly support web standards by default, but it doesn't mean that I'll use it.

 

To those who use IE simply for its GUI, Firefox is easily capable of looking like IE7 with the use of add-ons.

 

Can I make the bookmarks look like this rather than like this?

 

try playing with some ff themes, u'll be surprised what u think u want

cheers ...

 

u dont have to worry about it anymore, IE8 is going the firefox way
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=168731&page=40

cheers ...

 

I am not sure why firefox isn't showing website icons next to the bookmarks for you but for me firefox bookmarks look just like they do in IE and opera (website icons and all).

As for the original report of IE having the smallest vulnerabilities this isn't correct according to the secunia reports; take a look at the three browsers(firefox, IE and Opera) and you will see that IE has the highest overall percentage of unpatched vulnerabilities.

 

I find it's security as annoying as UAC in Vista. Secure maybe, but less productive. If you're smart and use adblock and good FF security options, (oh, and a good anti-virus and firewall), you're good to go!

 

To say I'm lazy because I don't use Firefox is a foolish remark.

And yes, Jalf, IE7 DOES do everything I need it to do. It also does it without any problems as well. If it didn't, why am I not using Firefox yet? Or something else?

I don't see the need to download a third-party browser when my current browser does just fine.

I respect your decision about Firefox. And I'm not saying IE7 is better then FF or vice versa. But don't tell me I'm either lazy or incompetant because I don't agree with your choice. It only makes you look foolish.

 

IE7 does everything I need it to do, too. It sits there in a corner and never gets invoked, and when it does get invoked it gets blocked from internet access by my firewall. As far as I am concerned, IE7 is working perfectly for me.

 

'course IE8 Beta 1 is out

 

I'm not talking about the icon but the size of the tab.


PS AKAJonh: Thanks for the link =d


EDIT: It's still a beta so lol. Google Toolbar doesn't work yet (makes IE8 crash). There is some slowdowns while browsing but if I turn it on "IE7 Emulation Mode" it works great.

EDIT2: Webpages, especially forums are now looking like they do on opera or firefox rather than IE7.

EDIT3: Back to IE7, or IE7 emulation mode if you prefer

 

I love how some people are so ridiculously infatuated with the criticism of IE. If you don't use it, fine, but why all the hoopla over something you don't use.

 

IE's bad reputation from its previous versions still pursues it, it seems. Even after significant improvements people only have criticisms for it.

 

Yeah, and it really is annoying to be called lazy or imcompetant because I don't use Firefox.

It gets old.

 

In Firefox 3 it live loads the favicon if it has one. But if it bothers you, the blank paper icon is now a lot shinier now though.

 

Wait until IE 8 hits... I've downloaded the beta and it is very nice... can't wait to see the final version.

Many improvements and new features that developers can use. Not sure if I will use them, but it may be something I'll look into.

Yea, you often notice the fanatics of the FF crowd. It is funny... I like playing around with them. I like FF as well, but use IE as my main browser.

 

IE is a backup browser incase i need to Access my Router Settings & LAN network.

Other i use FF.

FF has created a Cult.. these FF fans will crush u if u praise IE in front of them.

 

I never thought I will start the flame...

IE VS FIREFOX

LET'S GET IT ON!

Peace... In my opinion when you will see in a different points of view.
It depends on the people. I like Firefox because it started the race to
Security and popularize Tab browsing.

I love IE 7 because of Anti-Phising filter+UAC+Protected mode, in Vista Performs
great and the space between the top and bottom is wider. Good in Blogging and Programming.
Also, When I travel to a place with a very very slow internet. IE perfoms well.
Coz Firefox tends to have a time limit.

I used Firefox when IE7 is not yet around (WinXP). Now, I used both of them when downloading rapidshare files. (For multiple downloads at the same thing without paying)

So It depends on the people. BOTH OF THEM ROCKS!

 

Ya, Multiple File download.. but Rapidshare now blocks it.

 

Nope Not mine... There are plenty of ways to do it... Sorry Im the only one using that system. I can't share it to others coz it will be discovered.

 

Hey i used to do it.. there are much Darker ways to download anything from Rapidshare too.

And Even i cant share it

 

I have IE7 installed, 'cause, well, I have to.

I have had Opera installed. But do not right now. Might install again when 9.5 goes gold.

And I have Firefox V2 installed and am impatiently waiting for Firefox 3 to go gold.

 

FF3 will probably come out by the end of the month at the latest.

 

It might be a tad later than that, but it does look like it is getting close.

 

Hm...I consistently utilize BOTH browsers, although for daily purposes I prefer FF.

Some findings I had:
On my desktop, running Vista Ultimate 64 - Firefox 2 would relentlessly crash.

On both of my laptops (one uses Business 64, other uses Ultimate 64) IE7 is too slow in comparison to Firefox 2 - and does not show greater stability at all, for that matter some pages fail to have content open that flies great in Firefox 2. Hrm...

The webpage for accessing the operations server at my job cannot be opened with IE7 successfully - IE7 has poor support for the frame-oriented web pages (which mind you are excellent, very functional designs). Firefox1/2, IE6, Safari (the list of what I have tried) work just fine...(IE7 cannot do what IE6 does? huh?)

On the case of IE7 filters that people are so proud of (anti-phishing and such) - these can be provided via add-ons with most leading browsers, but IE7's speed is never going to improve (20 seconds to open head-fi.org via IE7 vs 4 via Firefox 2, I don't particularly have the time to spend 20 seconds waiting for opening of a page that I won't spend over a minute on, the brutal nature of forums).

And on the case of 'IE7 does everything I need it to do' - so does a teaspoon. Why do we have a tablespoon, a fork, chopsticks, a clamp? And why don't we eat ALL THE FOOD straight out of the pot? And why do you drive a car when a horse will get you places just fine? This is a matter of comparing - which widget accomplishes the job better, faster, cleaner, and with less maintenance.

I am not going to produce data which one is better here - but if you say that IE7 does stuff better for you, lay out an objective proof honestly, you might find that you are just holding yourself behind. It is a human tendency to hang onto what is more familiar, and what is already in place. From the perspective of most non-IE users, an IE user looks lazy and only that (unless you have an issue with incompatibility of alternate browsers).

 

I'm using the Firefox 3beta5pre right now and i think it's going into RC after this, they usually do two RC's so i think you're right. It may be a tad later.

 

You know what's funny is that now I'm back to IE.

I loved how well FireFox ran on my Eee PC, that I stuck to it. But I just tired out Internet Explorer 8 beta, and it runs a few things better than FireFox.

Bah!

 

For my browsing needs IE7 just works. I am not the extra bells and whistles guy like the FF add-ons. Without the add-ons FF is equivalent to IE in any day. Still some sites crash with FF. Web page rendering in FF sucks.

 

That is not consistent with what I am seeing - for that matter IE7 looks worse (I am using www.notebookreview.com for comparisons). I'll take some screenshots of what I am generally seeing later, you show yours.

 

You sound like you want Firefox 3. It doesn't need any addons, has better rendering, and is a lot faster. I want you to try out Firefox 3 when it comes out and tell me what you think. To tell you the truth i was pretty fed up with Firefox 2 and decided i might want to get Opera but then i decided to give the Firefox 3 beta 3 a try. No more gripes and slowdowns for me.

 

I think I will try FF3 when it comes out.

 

I highly recommend you do. It'll be very different in many ways, than the Firefox 2 you are used to complaining about.