Would you be willing to allow a stranger to have access to your bank account, credit cards, and, even, take over your identity? No, you say? Well, that is exactly what you are chancing when you “surf” the Internet. The single most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family when you connect to the Internet is to have a safe Internet browser.

How safe is your internet browser?

Computer security researchers from ETH Zurich, Google, and IBM believe computer software would be more secure if, like a perishable food product, it were labeled with an expiration date. In a newly published paper, Stefan Frei and Martin May of the Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory at ETH Zurich, Thomas Dubendorfer of Google Switzerland, and Gunter Ollmann of IBM Internet Security Systems make this recommendation because they found that 637 million (45.2%) out of 1.4 billion Internet users worldwide are at risk from their failure to use the latest, most secure version of their chosen Internet browsers. “Given the state of the software industry and the growing threat of exploitable vulnerabilities within all applications (not just Web browsers), we believe that the establishment of a ‘best before’ date for all new software releases could prove an invaluable means to educating the user to patch or ‘refresh’ their software applications,” the paper says.

The issue of browser security matters more these days because more and more malware is targeting Web browser vulnerabilities. Remotely exploitable vulnerabilities have been on the rise since 2000 and accounted for 89.4% of vulnerabilities reported in 2007, according to the study, which claims that “growing percentage of these remotely exploitable vulnerabilities are associated with Web browsers.” Among the various Web browsers studied — Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3, Safari 3, and Opera 9 — Firefox 3 is the most secure, according to the study. Firefox 3 is considered to be the most secure Web browser because 83.3% of its users worldwide are running the most current version. Second, third, and fourth places go to Apple Safari 3 (65.3% of users running the most current version), Opera 9 (56.1%), and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (47.6%).(Source: InfoWeek)

So what does all this mean? It means that you should keep your Internet browser up-to-date. There really isn’t any excuse for not updating as the updates are free downloads. Even Microsoft has made its Internet Explorer browser free to all users.

The continued use of expired browsers, especially Microsoft Internet Explorer 5, 5.5, and 6, is dangerous. Most people are beyond IE 5 and 5.5 due to the operating system upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP years ago.With Windows XP came Internet Explorer 6.This was the start of a long and continuing nightmare called IE6. The problem that makes IE 6 so bad is that it has been “patched” thousands of times due to severe security problems. This has made it very unsecure and unreliable.It, also, was not designed to take advantage of the wonderful new web experiences of the Web 2.0 technical advances.

Even on this website;users of IE6 may notice that they can not view all elements properly. They may notice that the sidebars do not line-up properly. This is caused by the “fractured” state of the IE6 browser.

Pinoy Lifestyles would like to make the transition to an up-to-date Internet Browser easy by providing the download links below. All you need to do is “click” on the link of your choice below and follow the instructions to safer and a more enjoyable Internet experience:

Firefox 3 (Windows PC/MAC OS X/Linux)

Opera 9.xx (Windows PC/MAC OS X)

Safari (Windows PC/MAC OS X)

Camino (MAC OS X)

In the end, you only have yourself to blame if you become a victim of Internet crime. Change your browser today and let other people worry. BE INTERNET SMART AND SAFE!

Update: We have removed the download link for Microsoft IE 7 as it has been proven to be to vulnerable to browser attacks.

(5 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Technorati Tags: Camino, Firefox 3, IE 6, IE7, Internet Browsers, Internet Safety, Opera, Safari

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An Apple a Day - Still Good Advice

I love all the different types of apples. Nothing is quite as delicious as the crisp bite into an Macintosh apple. And, nowadays there are so many varieties to choose from. Every time I walk by a fruit and vegetable market, I try something different. Besides their delicious taste, they’re a rich source of pectin, a soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol and also helps to prevent constipation. In addition, when you eat an apple, you are eating a low-fat food that is also associated with heart health. Apples are also rich in flavonoids, naturally occurring plant compounds linked to lowered risk of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. 0Quercetin, an important flavonoid found in apples, may help reduce symptoms associated with respiratory ailments. Glutathione, another antioxidant found in apples, is thought to have anti-cancer actions as well as helping to boost the immune system. Apples have been called nature’s toothbrush because they stimulate gums, increase saliva flow and reduce the build-up of cavity-causing bacteria. This versatile fruit is also a source of vitamin C and potassium.

Apples are a wonderful treat for both children and adults. Get into the habit of “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!” It has worked for centuries and continues to work as a prime tool for good health.

(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Technorati Tags: Apples, Flavonoids, Glutathione, Good Health, Pectin

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