Safer Alternatives to IE

In that over 70% of Web surfing is done with IE (some say as much as 95%), Microsoft's browser has become the obvious target for hackers the world over. Since a large proportion of viruses and other malware can enter your computer through Web sites (typically through exploitation of Microsoft ActiveX controls), switching to a different browser may no longer be just a goofball suggestion your propeller-head Linux evangelist friends push on you. It may be a necessity.

Even though ActiveX was meant to extend the capability of IE in exciting ways, such as into the area of multimedia, it has instead become an enticing target for hackers. Due to this fact, the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), a partnership between the tech industry and the Department of Homeland Security, recently began advising computer users to consider switching browsers. Whether or not you do, US-CERT advises upping your Internet Explorer security settings.

It might take a little work to get a non-IE browser to properly display all the sites you want to view, but it may well be worth it. For example, you'll probably have to reinstall plug-ins for some sites, and install Sun's Java engine for viewing Java-powered sites.

In general, make sure you're switching to a browser that isn't simply a shell on top of IE. That will still leave you vulnerable. You'll want an entirely new browser, such as Firefox, Opera, or Maxthon.

For more information about browser security, visit

http://www.us-cert.gov/