What are the security features of Internet Explorer (IE) and Mozilla Firefox web browsers?

Web browser is used by most of the PC users today to access internet for various purposes. Web browsers such as Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Apple Safari are the most used browsers today. Browser security becomes important because it helps you prevent majority of the online threats that infect your PC by using the browser vulnerabilities. Web browsers offer various security features to prevent security lapses and protect you from the attack of malicious programs such as viruses, spyware, malware and others.

Find below the security features offered by various web browsers:

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is the leading browser, which is used by millions of people worldwide. It is equipped with feature using which you get an option to clear Private Data. You can find this option via the ‘Tools’ menu. Using this feature you can clear the following items.

Browsing History
Download History
Saved Form and Search History
Cookies
Cache
Offline Web Site Data
Saved Passwords
Authenticated Sessions.

You can turn on or off the option to clear the above mentioned items by checking in the boxes. The options that are by default turned on are meant to clear the Browsing History, Download History, Saved Form and Search History, Cache, and Authenticated Sessions.

Users can also change the default options permanently by navigating to the following.

Tools ->> Options ->> Privacy Tab ->> Settings button

Once you find the settings button you have to click the boxes for which you want the options to be turned on or off.

You can also set the Clear Private Data option to clear private data every time when Mozilla Firefox browser closes. This can be done by navigating through:

Tools ->> Options ->> Privacy tab ->> Settings button

Now check the box which states “Always clear my private data when I close Firefox.” Once enabled, this feature will automatically clear the data when you close your browser.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer from Microsoft offers variety of security features that can be enabled via Internet Options in the ‘Tools.’

The Internet Options include

The General Tab
The Privacy Tab
The Content Tab

The General Tab

Using the General Tab you can delete cookies and temporary internet files. Using this tab you can also clear the browsing history.

The Security tab

(a) Internet Security Level

By default, the Internet security level is set to medium. It prompts the user prior to the downloading of potentially unsafe or malicious content and it also prevents unsigned ActiveX controls from downloading. It offers custom options to allow the user to adjust the security level to High, Medium, Medium-low and Low. Security settings of the browser change with each of the levels.

(b) Local Intranet Security Level

By default, the Local Intranet Security Level is set to medium-low which allows most of the content to run without prompts. Like internet security level no unsigned ActiveX control will be downloaded in this level. It is almost similar to the medium level security except the prompts that doesn’t appear when the content is run. In this level also, the custom security level can be adjusted to High, Medium, Medium-low, and Low.

(c) Trusted sites security level

By default, the trusted sites security level is set to low. In this level minimal safeguards and warning prompts are offered. All active contents can be run without prompts. This level can also be adjusted to High, Medium, Medium-low, and low.

(d) Restricted sites security level

By default, the restricted sites security level is set to high and less secure features are disabled. Using the custom level you can adjust the restricted sites security level to High, Medium, Medium-low, and Low.

The Privacy Tab

Settings – By default, the settings of the privacy tab is set to medium which is helpful in blocking third party cookies that lack compact privacy policy. It also blocks those third party cookies that use personally identifiable information without seeking your implicit consent. To forego this security layer, you can use the sites button that lets you include sites for which you want to use cookies.

Pop-up blocker – By default, the check box for the pop-up blocker remains ticked. In this section, you get a settings button that lets you add sites which you want to use pop-ups. This way you can make a few sites to skip the layer of pop-up blocker.

The Content tab

Certificates – Users are provided the clear SSL state button which clears the SSL cache. Moreover, the Certificates also list the following.

Intermediate Certificate Authorities
Trusted Root Certification Authorities
Trusted Publishers and the Untrusted Publishers.

Above discussed are the security features that have been provided with the two leading browsers Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. So if you are using either of the two browsers, it is recommended that you enable as many security options as you can so that the risks associated with the threats that travel through the web browser vulnerabilities can be mitigated to the minimum level.