Everybody knows how important it is to protect our computers from viruses, malware and spyware. Keeping all your software patched and installing a good anti-virus and a reliable firewall is a start, but it’s not enough. You should also keep an eye on the most vulnerable part of your computer – your browser.
No matter which browser you use and how secure you think it is, there are always weak spots. These can be code vulnerabilities, insecure add-ons, ActiveX controls and so on. In short, there are hundreds of ways your computer can be infected through your browser. Fortunately, a lot of browser vulnerabilities can be fixed if you know where they are. Here are five tools that will help you test your browser and firewall for vulnerabilities and give you advice how to fix them.
- Qualys BrowserCheck. Qualys BrowserCheck needs you to install a plug-in to test your browser for security issues. Once the test is done, the tool gives advice how you can fix the detected vulnerabilities. Some issues can be fixed directly from the tool by clicking on the Fix It button. Qualys BrowserCheck works with IE, Firefox and Chrome.
- Browserscope. Browserscope is a pretty geeky open-source tool that lets you compare lots of aspects of the most popular browsers. Each browser is given a score. Go to the Security tab to check how your browser version compares to the rest. You can also click on “How Does Your Browser Compare?” to get personalized results and share them with the community. You can also test different browsers on your computer to find the most secure one for your particular system configuration. You don’t need to install anything to run the tests.
- ScanIt. ScanIt has a total of 19 tests, but you can choose to run only the tests for your particular browser. For example, there are 10 Firefox tests. The website has a good FAQ section that explains the nature of the tests and how to fix problems. Make sure you save all your work before proceeding with the tests, as ScanIt will attempt to crash your browser.
- PC Flank. PC Flank is a great website that helps users to make sure their computers are fully protected. There are seven tests: six of them test for various vulnerabilities and the seventh is an Internet speed test. The Quick Test shows how vulnerable your computer is to various Internet threats, the Stealth Test will show if your computer is visible to others, and the Browser Test will check whether your browser reveals any personal information. There is also an exploits test, an advanced port scanner and a Trojans test. Each test takes less than three minutes to complete.
- ShieldsUp. GRC’s ShieldsUp test is designed to monitor your firewall and scan your ports. There are five port testing categories: “File Sharing”, “Common Ports”, “All Service Ports”, “Messenger Spam” and “Browser Headers”. When it comes to testing your firewall, ShieldsUp is one of the best as it provides a lot of information
on firewall security and things you can do to improve it.
Use these tests to make sure your browser is secure, use your common sense when browsing the Web and you will minimize the risk of being infected with a virus or a piece of malware.
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on June 27, 2011 at 9:05 am
Nice list of tools. Got couple of new things here. I am always concerned about pc security and love to make my computer and browser more secure.
Btw, ScanIt folks have pulled the plug. They have discontinued it due to lack of updates.
Amanda Gordon recently posted…Sanitaire Vacuum Cleaners – Sanitaire by Electcrolux S782AT Lightweight Vacuum Cleaner
on June 27, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Security is very important for both the computer in general and the Web browser. Many people don’t know the risk of not testing their browser for security, as well as their computers.
on July 28, 2011 at 12:58 am
Only thing i’m using for security right now is NoScript, and even that i keep mostly disabled.
Thing is, you can have all the security in the world if you don’t know how to safely surf the web! It’s not going to do you any good.
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on July 28, 2011 at 6:38 pm
I use NoScript myself, and is one of the important plugins to install. I agree, common sense is definitely one of the most important tools – and you don’t even need to install it.
on July 29, 2011 at 11:59 am
True, there’s no need to install it, but it takes time and experience to get it. It may even be impossible for some people.
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on July 30, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Common sense is born out of experience. The more you know, however, the better you are at protecting yourself…or have a really good tech person on standby.