Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 (IE 8) has been found to be the most secure browser currently available in the market, said a recent study.

The study conducted by security research company NSS Labs said that IE 8 was the most successful browser in blocking various phishing and malware attacks as compared to Apple Safari 4, Firefox 3.5, Google Chrome 4 and Opera 10.

As per the findings, IE 8 caught 85 per cent of live threats and surpassed Apple’s Safari 4 by a 56 per cent margin.

Till date, IE 8 has blocked over 350 million online threat attempts since its release in March 2009. In addition, IE 8 also holds more than 62.12 per cent of the global browser market share.

"Security and privacy are key concerns for everyone as they use the Web,” said Ahmad El Dandachi, country manager Microsoft Oman.

“Consumers want to know that they are in control of their personal information and that they are safe from browser and Web exploits. Internet Explorer 8 takes a big step forward in browser innovation and is focused on the way people use the web today and is faster, safer and more reliable than ever before,” he added.

“IE 8 has a layered defense strategy that helps protect users’ privacy through several advanced security features. With IE 8, Microsoft is delivering the best possible web experience for Windows customers and this will continue to be a key area of focus and investment for the company.”

Internet Explorer 8 is specifically designed to help users maintain their privacy with features such as InPrivate browsing and InPrivate filtering, a statement said.

The new SmartScreen Filter provides protection against social engineering attacks by identifying malicious Web sites trying to trick people into giving up personal information or installing malicious software, blocking the download of malicious software and providing enhanced anti-malware support, it added.

Mohamed El Sayad, general manager, MSN Arabia, said: “As today’s online threats evolve, people need to trust that they can browse safely. Internet Explorer 8 enhances customers’ online confidence by providing an increased ability to control and protect their data.”

“It also delivers an end-to-end approach to security and privacy that is focused on social engineering, new defenses against Web server attacks and additional improvements to defend against browser-based exploits. Moreover, IE 8 offers new features and functionality that enables users to have a fast and reliable browsing experience,” El Sayad concluded. – TradeArabia News Service