IE9 versus Chrome: which one blocks malware better?
Last week I looked at a fascinating sample of malware that specifically targeted users of Google Chrome. Over the past few days, I’ve been looking more closely at this particular malware attack, which appears to be widespread and extremely persistent.
Social engineering has become the dominant method of distribution for fake antivirus software. And most modern browsers, with one exception, do a terrible job of dealing with this type of threat. Current builds of Chrome display a terrible flaw that puts you at greater risk than its competitors. In my testing, a malware author was able to exploit Chrome in four easy clicks. In stark contrast, Internet Explorer 9 used some new technology to flag the exact same sites and files as suspicious, providing unmistakable warnings that have been shown to stop 95% of these attacks in their tracks.
I’ve captured the experience for both browsers in these two videos and in an accompanying screenshot gallery so you can see for yourself. And if you make it to page 3, you’ll read about the new reputation-based technology that’s given IE9 the lead.
