App Review Browser Test: Opera, Google Chrome, Comodo Dragon and more soon (MalwareDoctor)

[MDTechVideos]

* Note thread will be modified frequently as all of my mini browser security tests will be posted under this thread. Comodo Dragon test has been recorded and will be released shortly.

 

[McLovin]

Have not watched the videos yet, but before I do, the most secure I think would have to be Internet Explorer 9. It's web filter is actually really good, when I gave it ago.

Will watch these later tonight with a nice cold drink of water.

Thanks MalwareDoctor

 

[arsenaloyal]

IE the smartscreen filter is just awsome.

 

[Syntax]

I would pick IE if it is fast like Chrome or more faster. Another problem that I encountered in IE is the lack of add-ons. I want to use Adblock plus but then I can't. Security-wise, IE>Chrome

 

[Coffeeman]

I voted for Chrome mainly because the add-on's that I use with it and the possibility to customize it. But IE 10 which I am using now, with a few add-on's like an adblock list it is pretty awesome

 

[3link9]

I choose IE, IE just offers the best browsing security with its smart screen filter which I seen to surpass Chrome, firefox, etc.

IE10 (Win8) for overall browsing as in my opinion it outperforms every other browser. (Minus the addons)

 

[samit]

only thing that IE lacks is large number of add-ons....but I think it is both plus and negative point.....

 

[MrExplorer]

Chrome Blocks 94 Percent of Phishing Attacks, Firefox 90 Percent, Study Finds

The number of phishing sites has been decreasing for the past couple of years, but there are still plenty of dangerous ones out there. Staying alert is the best way to protect against these threats, but the browser you're using can play a role as well.

Choosing the safest one is hard since, unlike a feature comparison, there's no way for regular users to know which browser works best.

A study by NSS Labs puts Chrome ahead, it stopped 94 percent of the phishing attacks thrown at it. But no modern browser is doing too bad.

Firefox, for example, came in fourth place, but it had a 90 percent block rate. Considering that the study has a two percent error margin, it's possible, though not likely, that Chrome performed just as well as Firefox.

What's important though is that the block rate has improved dramatically across all browsers. Three years ago, the top browsers only blocked some 47 of attacks on average, now that's up to 92 percent.

Source

 

[Plexx]

The main question asked here is which browser offers best protection, not the pros and cons such as lack of addons or preference because has more perks than others or lighter on system etc.

In reality, I.E since version 8 came a long way.

Comodo Dragon is based on Chromium and also has the DNS twist (though still optional).

Cannot comment on Opera (not used since it went as free), but one suggestion, MD: add Avant Browser.

As for the general question, Comodo/Chrome/FF/IE offer decent protection. It depends on the stuff that is thrown at but all of them have a decent protection.

 

[Littlebits]

Since all browsers have did so many improvements, it is hard to say which provides the best over-all protection. I believe it comes and goes as new vulnerabilities are discovered in browsers.

I believe Google Chrome provides the best over-all protection because of the way it is designed. Don't know why Comodo Dragon is included in this poll as a separate browser, it is Google Chrome with a little customizations, the only added security feature is Comodo DNS which still will not protect from vulnerabilities in the Chromium core.

All vulnerabilities in Google Chrome also exists in Comodo Dragon since it uses all of Google Chrome's core components. About the main difference concerning protection, Google Chrome is more secure because it always has the latest updated components, other Chromium browsers have to wait for the open-source code to be released before they can even start applying security patches.

Just like browsers based on Mozilla Firefox like Waterfox/Pale Moon/Cometbird/Comodo Ice Dragon, they all have the same vulnerabilities as Mozilla Firefox, therefore Mozilla Firewall is more secure because it applies the latest patches first.

I do agree that IE 9 smartscreen filter is the best, one of its strongest points. But patches take to long to be released for vulnerabilities.

Opera also has a very good fraud and malware protection, it uses several filters.

Of coarse I don't base any info on video reviews since they never come close to painting even one side of a building, I only use my own experience and knowledge.

Thanks.

 

[MDTechVideos]

Comodo Dragon is based on Chromium and also has the DNS twist (though still optional).

Cannot comment on Opera (not used since it went as free), but one suggestion, MD: add Avant Browser.

I was surprised that Comodo DNS did not make much difference in the way of detection compared to Google Chrome. It appears Google's safe browsing does a pretty good job at blocking phishing and other malware related sites.<strike> If I am not mistaken Dragon does not use Google's blacklist.</strike> It is disappointing that they couldn't have integrated in some additional form of safe browsing into Dragon,as security is the main purpose for using that variant of the Chromium.Even though Comodo's blacklist did a decent job, I am sticking with Comodo as my av and Google Chrome as my main browser since both GC and CD performed almost identically.

I was planning this weekend to making another set of browser videos and I will add Avant to the list. They have been around for a very long time, so it will interesting to see how they perform. Avant does not seem to have a very large user base, but those products can sometimes be the best ones(unusual but not impossible).

EDIT: Thanks for the info HeffeD. Also changed "some form" to "additional form" as it would be nice to see a higher detection than its Chromium-based counterpart.

 

[Ink]

Opera also has a very good fraud and malware protection, it uses several filters.

Including AVG Technologies?

Though the Video doesn't indicate any uses of AVG. Unlike seen here.

Awaiting Mozilla Firefox browser test.

 

[HeffeD]

If I am not mistaken Dragon does not use Google's blacklist.

This is what the Phishing and malware protection setting is.
Google Safe Browsing.

Edit: Oh, and that setting is enabled by default.

 

[illumination]

I prefer and am sticking to Mozilla Firefox, out of the box it is not as secure as some of the others, but with the proper add-ons believe it is just as secure if not more.

 

[Littlebits]

Opera also has a very good fraud and malware protection, it uses several filters.

Including AVG Technologies?

Though the Video doesn't indicate any uses of AVG. Unlike seen here.

Awaiting Mozilla Firefox browser test.

Yes it uses AVG, Netcraft, PhishTank and TRUSTe.

http://www.opera.com/browser/tutorials/security/fraud/950/

Enjoy!!

 

[whizkidraj]

I voted for mozilla because I hate chrome.exe and googleupdate.exe process running in my task manager. If i stop googleupdate.exe it wont update. Mozilla is best in GUI looks, configurable, only 1 process for many tabs and u can uninstall or reinstall the latest flash dev or beta versions. And It blocks many harmful websites most of the times, which I personally haven't seen chrome or IE blocking.

 

[McLovin]

True Firefox has 1 process but it also has many for the Flash that it runs. Also even if Firefox has one process it can sometimes reach quite high depending on what tabs you have open.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I voted for mozilla because I hate chrome.exe and googleupdate.exe process running in my task manager. If i stop googleupdate.exe it wont update. Mozilla is best in GUI looks, configurable, only 1 process for many tabs and u can uninstall or reinstall the latest flash dev or beta versions. And It blocks many harmful websites most of the times, which I personally haven't seen chrome or IE blocking.

it is the opposite to me, after using FF for a long time.

- FF latest version has also an update service so no differences to me.
- i disabled google update because i like to update things myself
- Chrome has a built-in flash/pdf viewer , no need to install 3rd-party apps that will add services, processes and vulnerabilities.
- Chrome has a sandbox and do-no-track features
- Chrome malicious site filter is better in my opinion, it block more than FF
- Chrome doesn't crash or hang like FF, and if it happens, its multi-processes allow me to kill the culprit one without stopping chrome

 

[McLovin]

Don't know about Chrome, but I know for Firefox/Waterfox is if you close it on purpose you will be able to restore old tabs.

 

[Ink]

I voted for mozilla because I hate chrome.exe and googleupdate.exe process running in my task manager. If i stop googleupdate.exe it wont update. Mozilla is best in GUI looks, configurable, only 1 process for many tabs and u can uninstall or reinstall the latest flash dev or beta versions. And It blocks many harmful websites most of the times, which I personally haven't seen chrome or IE blocking.

Google Update runs during update checks on a schedule, not all the time.

Chrome runs when using the browser, disable "Run Chrome in Background" to avoid any instances of Chrome running when closing the browser.

Multi-process browsers; Chrome and IE help recover crashed tabs, instead of closing down the whole browser.

Chrome has the latest Flash build through Silent/Automatic updates = One less worry. And it's Fully Sandboxed by Chrome.

@whizkidraj, When was the last time you tried Chrome? Which Version? Chrome & IE also has Malware Protection, as well as decent site blocking.

@McLovin, You can restore sessions with Chrome too (Ctrl+Shift+T).