How to Test Your Browser’s Security

As your personal gateway to the internet, your web browser is the first line of defense against malicious websites. If your internet browser is not secure, viruses and spyware can infect your computer and damage your important data.

And while a good antivirus does help, it’s always better to prevent the entry of malware in the first place rather than try to fix the damage. But what exactly can you do about it? Is there any way to check your browser for any security vulnerabilities?

Let’s try to answer these questions.

Does Browser Security Even Matter?

At first glance, the idea of having to secure your Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browser sounds strange. After all, we all have antivirus software on our computer, so what’s the point of worrying about the browser too?

However, an antivirus can only go so far. These programs are specialized for the removal of malware and viruses, but cannot do much against dynamic online threats. Things like Phishing or malicious scripts on a web page are issues for the browser to solve.

Such threats usually stem from malicious add-ons or ActiveX plugins, though the switch to HTML5 and SSL has reduced the prevalence of these security issues greatly. Nowadays, you mostly face problems by granting permissions to the wrong web pages or having an out-of-date browser with weak security features.

Best Sites to Test Your Browser’s Security

The quickest and simplest way to check your browser for vulnerabilities is to use a dedicated browser security test. These web applications verify your internet browser’s capability to deal with online threats, giving the a-ok if everything is found up to the task.

Qualys BrowserCheck

Probably the most popular browser security test of the bunch is Qualys’ BrowserCheck tool. Qualys is a well-known company involved with information security, and its browser testing tool is a great way to check your browser’s security profile.

There are two versions of the tool – a plugin that has to be installed on your browser, and a Javascript version that can run on its own. The plugin provides a more comprehensive overview of the security features of your…