Alternative Browser
Component of the
Home Computer Security Baseline
Since most of the security threats to your computer come
through the internet and your surfing, doesn't it make sense to
use a web browser that is both easy to use and secure?
For this reason I highly recommend using an alternative
browser to Internet Explorer which is built into Microsoft
Windows. Instead, I highly recommend Mozilla Firefox browser,
now at version 2, but soon to release version 3.
Firefox is an incredible browser. It's non-Microsoft (some
of us just want a change once in a while), and not as full of
security problems as Internet Explorer (v7 didn't fix all of
v6's problems).
Why is this important? Internet Explorer, as the most used
browser, is therefore the most targeted browser by hackers.
Firefox, as #2, is targeted as well, but they don't seem to
find near as many vulnerabilities as with Internet Explorer.
And when problems are found, the Firefox programmers are much
more responsive to fixing them than Microsoft is for IE.
"Isn't Internet Explorer 7 better?"Better than IE 6,
yes. But as I mentioned above, Microsoft didn't fix all of the
problems from v6, and so far aren't jumping right in there to
fix the compatibility problems many users are having after
switching to v7.
"But some websites require Internet Explorer, don't
they?Yes, unfortunately they do. That's the bad news. The
good news is that a fantastic add-on for Firefox allows you to
switch to IE on any given page or even specify that IE
always be used for a given page. Now that's cool.
The add-on is called IEView.
Other alternative browsers
I have also heard good reviews of Opera although I have
never used it. Opera is supposed to be very fast and do a good
job with security.
Personally, I'm hooked on Firefox and some key add-ons.
Firefox has so many handy plug-ins and is more customizable
than Internet Explorer it's hard to turn down.
I know, you're saying that some of the websites you visit
require Internet Explorer. Yes, for those you need
IEView add-on for Firefox that will allow you to set sites to
automatically open in IE for you even when you get there via
Firefox - VERY COOL!
Convinced? Get Started HereAll set for a better
surfing experience? Great.
Here's what you want to do:
Important Point: Do NOT install any
toolbars that you do not intend to use. When downloading some
software from companies like Adobe, or Sun (Java), they may
offer you (with the default checked YES) to download either a
Yahoo! or Google or someone's toolbar. Do yourself a favor and
don't do it. Only install what you know you will use.
TIP: DON'T use "browzar". It's
a fake IE add on full of malware.
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