Posted on by Frank - Follow me on Twitter

Recently I have been doing online training in computer/network security for an independent study I am working on and I recently learned something that was quite a warning sign.  It involves a web browser that many are familiar with called Internet Explorer.  Many PC users aren’t using Internet Explorer anymore, but instead have switched over to Firefox.  Firefox not only is the better solution due to more secure browsing, but also because of it’s built in firewall.  Internet Explorer on the other hand has been around for a really long time and there still are plenty of users using this web browser.  So what is it about Internet Explorer that can be a security risk?

Not only does IE load pages slowly, but it’s also known to carry spyware with it.  For those that don’t know what spyware is, it’s poorly written code written by crackers who hack into programs to cause problems for your computer.  The programs you may be using have code embeded into them that can infect your machine.  I figured since IE is still being used by a large majority of individuals that this was an important topic to make people aware of.  Spyware has the ability of clearing information on your computer as well as getting your private information.  You never can be too careful and switching away from a poorly designed technology like Internet Explorer would be a smart move.

While watching this video training, it was suggested over and over to not use IE by any means.  I couldn’t agree more especially when it comes to the security of your computer.  As individuals we tend to love technology and anticipating new products, but IE is one of those products you should refrain from regardless of the new updates that come out for it.  Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has been known to carry spyware and cause problems for people like  insane amount of pop ups.  Those pop ups are a sign of spyware.

So why are people still using IE?  Most of the time, many individuals are oblivious to new technology and an alternative solution.  People get use to one thing and are reluctant to change.  In this case, change would be a good thing.  Using Firefox gives you the ability to install ad-ons to remove pop ups from happening as well as many other useful plugins.  Firefox is just a better and more secure browsing solution.  Microsoft I feel never addressed IE’s issues that really needed fixing.  The interface was always too cluttered in my opinion and scripts for pages ran poorly.  Also, Microsoft and it’s Windows Operating System is known for being infected with a lot of spyware and viruses.  At this point, it’s just a very vulnerable platform and so are it’s products.

Are you still using IE and if you are why?  If you aren’t, what made you switch over to a new web browser?  Hopefully, this article helped make you aware of the downfalls of using Internet Explorer.

Further reading:

Past Technology – What’s Dead VS What Isn’t?

Will 2010 Still Produce Positive Upgrades In Technology?

Web 3.0 – The Next Generation Of The Web

How To Make New Technology Work For You

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