Monday, October 3, 2011

Google Chrome Browser Security Features

Currently, IE (=Internet Explorer) is the most popular Internet browser. As such, malicious hackers made it their number one target and set out to exploit its flaws. It also has the disadvantage of relying on ActiveX technology, which allows web sites to run executable programs on your PC via your browser. Although there is an improvement in security in IE7 and IE8 compared to older versions, this technology is still vulnerable.

In order to improve security you may choose to use a less popular browser such as, Mozilla's Firefox or Google Chrome.

Both Firefox and Chrome use a different technology from Internet explorer. They both built on open source code from other platforms. Chrome browser is based on the open-source Webkit engine, which is an open-source web browser layout engine developed by the WebKit Foundation. Firefox is based on the open source Gecko engine, which is a layout engine currently developed by Mozilla Corporation.

For now the most popular alternative to Internet explorer is Firefox. I have a lot of respect to Mozilla and the open source community, but when I have tried to use Firefox 3.5 I had a frustrating experience. It has kept crashing down on me, crashing my PC along with it.

As result of this experience I have decided to give Google Chrome a chance. Google Company has stated in many occasions that Chrome browser has innovative security features.

When investigating these announcements I have noticed four major security features in Google chrome.

1. Safe browsing software (it is also being used by Firefox browser) - Safe browsing features protect users against phishing and malware attacks. It uses a blacklist approach that gets downloaded to the user's PC on a regular basis. How does it work? Well Google is constantly crawling the web, finding new and changed websites. During this crawling if they encounter a suspicious site that seems to be a phishing site (designed to steal personal information of unsuspecting users), it is being added to a list of suspected phishing websites. If a site contains hints to potentially malicious activity, Google tracks this site for a while and if a clear evidence of malicious activity is discovered, such as, computer viruses being downloaded and installed, it is being added to a list of suspected malware-infected websites. If you use Chrome browser and you have safe browsing mode enable, then Google Chrome will contact servers at Google, approximately every half hour, to download updated lists of suspected phishing and malware websites. These lists are being stored on your PC so when you surf the Web each site you browse to is being checked against these black lists locally (This is designed to offer performance). If the requested site is in the black list a warning message will appear stating that the requested site is suspected to be a phishing site or a malicious site and the user can choose to go back to safety. This feature seems to help the fight against malware and phishing, but there is a disadvantage. A few bloggers have raise questions about privacy implications. Bloggers have notice that every few hours when an update of the black lists is being done, two parameters are being sent to Google servers - "machineid" and "userid" - both computed information based on machine/user information. This information is sent along with a bunch of other browser information to ask Google if they should download an update. This information can be used for tracking. Google is of course obligated to privacy agreement with Internet users stating it will not use any of the personal information being collected, but would this obligation stand against a court order? I really don't know. In short, safe browsing seems like a great security feature fighting phishing and malware attacks, but users who are passionate regarding their privacy should think twice before using it.
2. A privacy mode (Incognito) - this feature manages privacy settings and designed to suit users who use public computers, or otherwise wish to keep their browsing habits confidential. When enabled (Click the wrench menu -> Select New incognito window menu item) Chrome browser will not remember visited pages, form and search bar entries, passwords, download List entries, cookies and cached files. You can still create bookmarks, and these will be retained when exiting incognito window. A similar feature exists also in Internet Explorer 8 browser and Firefox 3.5 browser. These features probably make live easier for Internet users who want to keep their surfing habits to themselves, but in the same way it helps the adults in the group it also may allow children to surf unsupervised. Internet savvy kids can easily hide their Internet activities from their parents. So it is very important for parents to understand that monitoring of their children Internet activities by viewing the browser history on the child's PC might not work.
3. Clear Browsing Data - There is a feature in Google chrome which allow the user to clear browsing data, such as, browsing history, downloads history, cache, cookies, saved passwords and saved form data (Click the Wrench menu -> select Clear browsing data -> Select the checkboxes for the types of information you wish to remove). This feature allows you to keep your browsing habits to yourself even if you are not using the Incognito window. Parents should be aware that similar to the Incognito mode their kids can use this feature to delete their browsing history so parents should not rely on browsing history as something that can help them get involved in their children Internet activities.
4. Sandbox security mechanism - This feature, as I see it, is the most significant one. A sandbox is a security mechanism used to run an application in a restricted environment. Browsers are dealing with malicious attacks on a regular basis. The most popular vectors for browser attacks are HTML Rendering and JavaScript execution. The sandbox security mechanism is designed to protect the user's PC and files against these kinds of malicious attacks. If there is an attack that exploits the browser vulnerabilities and an arbitrary code is being executed on the machine, it will be executed in an isolated environment and the user's PC will not be harmed. This security mechanism will also prevent access to the user's files. The sandbox mechanism itself is not a new security model; It uses the security features of Windows extensively. You should be aware that since the sandbox mechanism relies on Windows to achieve its security, it is impossible for it to protect against a flaw in the OS security model itself.

In a nutshell, these four security features seem to be helpful and contributing to a safe Internet experience, but I am not seeing any innovative new security models here. Three of these features - Safe browsing software, privacy mode and Clear Browsing Data, already exist in IE8 and Firefox 3.5, and the sandbox security mechanism can be added to IE8 and Firefox by a plugin/addon.

I think the greatest advantage of Google Chrome is that currently it is not targeted as much by malicious individuals, as IE and Firefox are. Additional advantage is in the usability factor which seems to be in my opinion better than IE or Firefox, but I think this issue is a matter of taste...

For now, if you are looking for a less targeted browser, Google Chrome seems to be a good alternative.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3030714

Friday, September 30, 2011

A Grand Google Gadget - Graphical Web Interconnectivity

What would you do if you could see how every website interacted every other website? Could you figure out useful applications for such a tool?

Well, such a tool exists. The TouchGraph Google Browser lets you do just that. All you have to do is type in a keyword or website. Once entered, the Java program will do its thing and show you just how the website or keyword you entered links in with the rest of the internet.

This can serve several important functions, but, it can be tremendously valuable as a guide for both marketing efforts and search engine optimization efforts.

By seeing the websites that link to your site AND the websites that link to the sites that link to yours, you can better understand the market for your website. If your website covers motorcycle kickstands and you have ten or more websites that focus on Harley-Davidson bikes linking to you, you'll be able to follow that up with concerted marketing efforts.

You also may discover other niches related to yours that are linking in to your website. Using the simple graphical program will allow you to quickly visualize how your site connects to related niches based on your backlinks. This too may give you valuable information that can guide your marketing strategy.

Keywords can be entered just like websites. If you are trying to optimize a web page around a specific keyword, it can be very beneficial to type the keyword into the program to see which established websites you will be competing against.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3977961

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Google Chrome Extensions

Chrome is the newest browser that is available for people to use on the internet, and the 'next big thing' in terms of addons and applications will be Google Chrome extensions. When Chrome was first released, it was extremely fast and had many features which internet users had been looking for for a long time. The browser market, however, is already dominated by two major organizations - Microsoft and its Internet Explorer software and Mozilla with Firefox.

How was Google going to position itself in this already slightly saturated market? They went for optimization of their code, making what is sometimes called slow (the browser) and making it lightning fast. They realised that the everyday user online cares only for retrieving information quickly, and that boot-up speed and flexibility was a big factor for people when surfing online.

The launch of Chrome was a huge fanfare, but after a few months they were having problems breaking through the 5% level in terms of overall users. So what was the reason that people were not trying and then sticking with Chrome? The answer was customization.

Internet Explorer's major advantage over the competition in the browser marketplace was some decidedly shady tactics that Microsoft employed over the last twenty years in terms of supplying their own browser in new installs of its operating system, Windows. This practice has since been challenged in courts around the world, and MS has been forced to pay huge amounts of money in compensation to certain companies, and indeed probably caused the bankruptcy of many, many others.

The internet generation grew up with Windows and Internet Explorer, and it became the de facto standard software for people who knew no better. It was a huge monopoly which looked as if it would continue unchecked in perpetuity. Then Firefox was born.

Firefox began as an open-source project to create a new, better, faster browser - to try to avoid the drawbacks of a monopoly caused by Microsoft. IE was by no means perfect, and was becoming slow and susceptible to attacks by virus writers and makers who targeted the dominant brand. Firefox was supported by a huge number of organizations and people, especially tech-savvy netizens who demanded more from their product. Google itself invested in the non-profit which was developing Firefox, as well as the once-defeated Netscape organization.

Firefox flourished, and its popularity has grown more and more over the last few years as even regular internet users have realised that there is an option to using Internet Explorer at home and in the workplace. Communities of people began working on extending the functionality of Firefox ahead of IE, and these addons that were written became more widely distributed until they were seen as standard by the surfing population.

When Chrome was launched, people remembered how fast Firefox was when it was first released. Many thought that Chrome would become the new alternative to IE due to this speed, but they failed to realize that the reason it was so quick was because it had a standard installation with zero addons and extensions. This was not a good thing for Google.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3347709

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Google Chrome Extensions

Chrome is the newest browser that is available for people to use on the internet, and the 'next big thing' in terms of addons and applications will be Google Chrome extensions. When Chrome was first released, it was extremely fast and had many features which internet users had been looking for for a long time. The browser market, however, is already dominated by two major organizations - Microsoft and its Internet Explorer software and Mozilla with Firefox.

How was Google going to position itself in this already slightly saturated market? They went for optimization of their code, making what is sometimes called slow (the browser) and making it lightning fast. They realised that the everyday user online cares only for retrieving information quickly, and that boot-up speed and flexibility was a big factor for people when surfing online.

The launch of Chrome was a huge fanfare, but after a few months they were having problems breaking through the 5% level in terms of overall users. So what was the reason that people were not trying and then sticking with Chrome? The answer was customization.

Internet Explorer's major advantage over the competition in the browser marketplace was some decidedly shady tactics that Microsoft employed over the last twenty years in terms of supplying their own browser in new installs of its operating system, Windows. This practice has since been challenged in courts around the world, and MS has been forced to pay huge amounts of money in compensation to certain companies, and indeed probably caused the bankruptcy of many, many others.

The internet generation grew up with Windows and Internet Explorer, and it became the de facto standard software for people who knew no better. It was a huge monopoly which looked as if it would continue unchecked in perpetuity. Then Firefox was born.

Firefox began as an open-source project to create a new, better, faster browser - to try to avoid the drawbacks of a monopoly caused by Microsoft. IE was by no means perfect, and was becoming slow and susceptible to attacks by virus writers and makers who targeted the dominant brand. Firefox was supported by a huge number of organizations and people, especially tech-savvy netizens who demanded more from their product. Google itself invested in the non-profit which was developing Firefox, as well as the once-defeated Netscape organization.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3347709

Monday, September 19, 2011

How to use Google Chrome to Speed Up Internet

First make sure you have clean up your computer and defragged it to keep it from being bogged down.

Invest in good quality internet connection. Using DSL or cable will be the choice for most people. If you are self employed check and see if a T-1 is available and an option you would want to pursue.

CHROME Google. Now there are other web browsers and Firefox if fast. But i f you want speed and ease of use try out Chrome for at lease one day. It downloads fast (see link in resources) and each link you click is quick to connect.

After downloading chrome, close out the web browser you used to download it. Then you can import easily your bookmarks and needed information.

Take 5 minutes to check out the program as there are some cool features. Set up is very easy. Adding a new tab is as easy as pushing the + sign at top of tabs.

Read more: http://goo.gl/DEJdT

Friday, September 16, 2011

Google Chrome vs Other Well Developed Browsers

Google Chrome is an Internet browser that was developed and released by Google. The first released version was for Windows and it was a beta one. The beta version was officially released in 43 different languages on 2nd of September 2008. The public release of the browser was on 11.12.2008. After its release the browser gain a lot of popularity and till the beginning of 2009 Chrome became the 4th most used browser all over the world. If we compare Google Chrome with the well known already developed builds of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Opera, Chrome rating is lower than Firefox 3.1 Beta 1, Safari 4, and Opera, but it is higher compared to Internet Explorer. On 04.06.2009 versions of Chrome for Mac OS X and Linux were released.

The primary goal of the Google Chrome's design was to improve the speed, security, interface, and stability in comparison with the already existing browsers. The Google Browser Chrome was put together from 26 different Google code libraries in combination with other from third parties, for instance Netscape.

Google developed the V8 JavaScript engine. It has features such as precise garbage collection, dynamic code generation, and hidden class transitions. The Google test made on 02.09.2008 revealed that V8 is about 2 times faster in comparison with Internet Explorer 7 & 8, Safari (modified version of WebKit), Opera and Firefox 3.0, but that didn't last for long since the WebKit team announced ten days later the SquirrelFish Extreme, making Chromium and WebKit even.

The Chrome Google Browser downloads updates of 2 blacklists and they send warnings to the users when they are going to visit a harmful site with harmful software presence. This is available for free for a public use and it is called Google Safe Browsing API. Chrome will allot every tab to fit in its process in order to prevent any malware from installing. In order to decrease the exposure to any attack, the plugins are run in processes which are separated and communicate with the renderer. The plugins have to be specifically modified for this software. Incognito mode is a feature that prevents the Google Browser from storing cookies and any other history information from the visited websites. It is referred to as porn mode, such as the private browsing feature in Internet Explorer 8, Apple's Safari , and Mozilla Firefox 3.5.

The Chrome interface includes options like refresh, bookmark, back, forward, cancel and go. The turn on of the home button is through options which will take every user to a custom home page or a new tab page. This Google Browser's options are close to those of Safari, while the setting locations are as in Internet Explorer 7, and the idea of windows decorations design has been taken from Windows Vista. Google Chrome includes Gears and it replaces the home page of the displayed browser with a New Tab Page when it is created a new tab. That will show the thumbnails with the most searched sites, recently closed tabs, recent bookmarks, and the nine most visited sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2556291

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Browser Wars - The Rise of Google Chrome

If you're like me, you probably have a lot of useless software installed on your computer. I'm not talking about Microsoft Works (although that is a completely obsolete and useless application), but actually I mean software that you'll never use. The biggest offender in my experience is having multiple internet browsers installed on one computer - I mean - do you ever really use all three of them? Isn't it possible to find out which one is the best, and then dump the others, saving you precious space on your hard disk? Of course it is (yeah right!), so let's look at a few different categories and see who has the crown!

Speed
When it comes to speed, there is no piece of software on the planet that can compete with Google's Chrome browser. It's super-fast. It loads in seconds and it can be ready to connect about two seconds after that. Have you ever tried moving tabs around using Internet Explorer? Exactly - it's an absolute torture sessions. Firefox can be very quick, however it has the tendency to become bloated with addons and plugins (see the next category).

Customization
At the time of writing, the stable release of Chrome does not support user controlled addons or plugins. This is a gift and a curse. It's a gift because it means it can continue to be a fast loading and fast acting piece of programming, but it's a curse because it means that developers around the world who have made addons for Firefox and Internet Explorer have not yet been able to release their goods on the Google platform. What effect or impact does this have? It means that people are not as keen to leave their 'comfort zone' and use Chrome full time because they've been spoiled by independent devs.

Market share
Right now, Internet Explorer is by far the #1 used browser in the world. Why? Well there are a number of reasons, most due to people continuing to use it with their Windows operating system (which it came pre-installed on), and then never changing because they didn't realise there was anything better. That seems to (slowly) be changing now, so we may see Firefox overtake them in the medium to long term. If Google decides to really promote Chrome, then it too could have a shot at dominating the operating system market.

Overall, it's hard to choose a winner. Firefox's plugins are better (because Google Chrome extensions have yet to be officially released), however when they have competition from the new browser we will see how well it can hold on to its crown. Internet Explorer is still the market leader, and has tried to do a lot to close security holes in its browser and make it faster. It hopes that Windows 7, its new netbook friendly operating system, will bring a whole new generation of users under its umbrella.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3360024

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