It has been largely praised and criticized but Internet Explorer still remains the choice of browser for most internet users. There have been umpteen instances of bugs and vulnerabilities that have effected the IE and then patches been released to restrict further damage. However the problems with IE seem to continue. Anyone who has ever used IE would have at some time or the other encountered the many glitches the browser seems to support. While these problems have existed for a long time now, the reason why these bugs and vulnerabilities are being focused upon is that internet users have become aware of the many security risks they can pose.

IE Bugs and More

Virtually all versions of IE have some problem or the other and even with release of patches the problems don’t seem to end. Much of the situation has been caused due to design flaws, inadequate security checks and due to third parties.

Some of the bugs and vulnerabilities on the IE include the following:

• Flaws in the Internet Explorer’s cross domain security model allow information to be shared between windows of different domains when certain dialog boxes are opened. So for instance if you are shopping online on one domain or checking your online internet banking account and also have another window open for another domain crucial financial information and passwords can be swiped away from your computer by a remote computer and misused.

This security risk also poses the problem that your computer can be accessed and controlled by a remote computer.

• Another security risk that the IE poses is that the ‘showhelp ’ function allows plug ins without the necessary security protocol. This could allow a malicious attacker to enter codes on to your computer and access data on it and also invoke executables on your local system. IE did release a patch to stop the ‘showhelp’ from functioning, but many IE users may be unaware of this vulnerability or the need to download this patch.

For internet users who use both Firefox and Internet Explorer there is trouble too. If a malicious site registers a Firefox URL opened on the IE browser, the browser can become vulnerable to attack as the browser freely interacts with chosen internet resources. The IE and Firefox may function fine on their own, but together on the same system they can cause great security risks.

Protecting Your System

One of the best ways to protect yourself from malicious attackers and viruses is to beware of sites that may seem suspicious. Just scroll over a link and look at the status bar before you decide to click on a link. Ensure that your IE version is updated and whenever required patches downloaded

Most experts recommend that you keep regular back ups for your hard drive. You may be unaware of most vulnerabilities and bugs that your system may be exposed to until it is too late. Having a recent back up for all your information is the best way to keep it safe.

Web Service Guard, the premier website monitoring company, offers uptime and performance monitoring for websites and servers.  Check our Website Monitoring site for more information.

Related Articles:

How is Web 2.0 Changing Your Life?

20 Homes Will Generate More Internet Traffic Next Year Than the Total Internet Traffic in 1995.

How Green is the Internet?