Ok, everyone takes it as generally accepted fact that Internet Explorer under Windows has a track record of being horribly insecure unless the user takes steps to tweak security settings, install pop-up blockers, bog their system down with AntiVirus, and run regular sweeps of the system to make sure nothing nefarious ever makes it through.  But then there's the rest of the computing population that has turned their noses up in contempt and gone off to use Firefox and Opera under Windows.  A few have taken it a step further and even ditched Windows completely in favor of Linux or MacOS with their respective browsers.  We think ourselves safe, secure and more or less untouchable by those vile malware and spyware coders, those hackers of ill-repute who are determined to hijack our computers via our own web surfing.

However, according to Symantec Corporation, a company with absolutely no vested interest in this issue at all, it is merely a placebo, a lie we tell ourselves to feel better.  We are in fact no more safe using these alternatives and still are in dire need of their help and software to secure our systems from Mr. Hacker. 

Symantecs' yearly Internet Security Threat Report documents the relative security of browsers such as IE, Firefox, Opera and Safari.  In the grand Firefox/IE debate, Symantec says that while IE compromises account for 47% of all attacks, Firefox actually clocked more reported vulnerabilities in the first half of this year than IE (47 versus 38 for IE).  It paints a picture where the perceived insecurity of IE and strongbox reputation of Firefox is more a result of volume of users as opposed to inherent security of the code.

For more analysis of the report, check the BetaNews article linked below.

I think Symantec wins the "Obvious Observation" award today for their stunning revelation that all browsers have vulnerabilities.