Why is firefox safer than windows internet explorer?

Names

FirefoxInternet Explorer - Microsoft leaves no doubt what their products are. If they made toilet paper it would be called Butt Wiper. Internet Explorer isn't a bad name, but it's not spectacular.

Firefox - On the other end of the spectrum, the name Firefox gives no clue to what it is. Could be a car? 80s video game? Lame comic book superhero? Flaming dish at a wild game restaurant? A browser would probably be your last guess. No matter, it is a much cooler name than the utilitarian Internet Explorer.

Advantage - Firefox

Domain Names

FirefoxFirefox - firefox.com Some kind soul donated the domain to the Mozilla Foundation. At least they own their own domain name.

Internet Explorer - internetexplorer.com Microsoft doesn't even own this one. It's one of those generic search portals masquerading as an IE site.

Advantage - Firefox

Mascots

Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer - The big blue e with a swirly around it. A nice simple graphic, but not necessarily a mascot. However, with Microsoft's history of mascots (Clippy, Bob), maybe it's better they just stick with a letter.

FirefoxFirefox - A giant fox with his tail on fire attacking the earth. That's the stuff of nightmares. Not as scary as a communist Godzilla but close. It's a cool graphic but Internet Explorer has to win something doesn't it?

Advantage - Internet Explorer

Google Fights

Why does Internet Explorer crash all the time? - 2.57 million results

Vs.

Why does Firefox crash all the time? - 218,000 results

Next...

Internet Explorer - 22.8 million results

Vs.

Firefox - 23 million results

That one is definitely a surprise.

Next...

Internet Explorer will help me get laid - 1.34 million results

Vs.

Firefox will help me get laid - 75,700 results

A much better chance of getting lucky with IE.

Next...

Internet Explorer came with my computer - 6.9 million results

Vs.

Firefox came with my computer - 659,000 results

Tie breaker...

Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer is the best browser ever - 2,110,000 results

Vs.

Firefox is the best browser ever - 474,000 results

Advantage: Internet Explorer

Coin Flip - Best of 7

The coin flip was conducted using a 2000 Sacajawea dollar.

FirefoxInternet Explorer - Heads

Firefox - Tails

Results: H-T-T-T-T-H-T

Advantage - Firefox

Stereotypical User

Internet Explorer - Brain dead newbie. Loves pop-ups, viruses, and spyware. Just wants to "surf the Internet and check my email." Oblivious to alternative lifestyles. Seeks help from "computer smart" nephew.

Firefox - Proselytizing ubergeek. Loves freedom, choice, and tabbed browsing. Just wants to "improve mankind with Open Source Software." Oblivious to market forces and the power of money. Seeks other geeks to join in on the evangelism.

Both are equally annoying.

Advantage - Even

Conclusions

It was a close battle, but Firefox edges out a victory against the Internet Explorer by a score of 3-2 with 1 tie and wins our Technical Award of Excellence.

Hi !

I have the answer :

The newest study, probably to be argued

within days, and performed by ScanIT web consultants, points out that Internet Explorer was around 80% unsafe during 2004, while FireFox barely "missed" around 15 percent. The results are based upon a tester developed by the company, Browser Security Checker, used by around 195,000 clients last year in order to detect whether their systems are vulnerable and whether the browser is the access gate for malicious codes.

According to ScanIT CEO, David Michaux, "around 98% of the Internet Explorer users were exposed to online threats during 2004; 200 days out of the whole 2004 (54% of last year) was dominated by activities specific to this worm or virus which exploited browser’s vulnerabilities".

As a comparison, FireFox was only left unprotected to known vulnerabilities for 56 days last year; the open-source online browsing solution seems to rule.

Quite far from the race between the leaders Opera seems a solution much safer than the Microsoft, with a 17% vulnerability score for last year, (users were off-guard only 65 days).

ScanIT tests are available at: http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/

Hope this Helps! :D

One of the main reasons is that it is a low-targeted browser. Internet Explorer is known almost everywhere, and 80-90% of users use it, and because it is targeted more, that is why more updates are required to be released weekly; whereas Firefox releases updates maximum of monthly.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter which browser you use or which is more secure. If you go hunting on the web and visit phishing sites or download other software, the internet browsers can't protect you!

i heard it is..it has more amount of safety software built in apparently. I know someone who uses it an they have had less problems with pop ups, viruses etc. They said that internet explorer errored more as well compared to firefox.

There are many reasons why, but Active X is the single biggest security flaw in IE. Firefox does not natively support Active X.

go to google and type mozilla firefox download also firefox doesn't stop viruses... your anti-virus software does, try avg... but the best anti-virus is yourself by being smart and know when to avoid clicking on suspicious links... btw... I don't have issues using Chrome :)

I'm using Firefox now, it helps block a lot more than IE does

but I do use both, mainly trusted sites with IE.

Because hackers make viruses and spyware designed for IE. That doesn't mean firefox can't get viruses, but it makes you alot safer.

Just use a good anti-virus like AVG free and you will be ok.

since IE is the most widely used browser, it's easier for hackers to get the 'biggest bang for their buck', if you will, by exploiting it. FireFox is less widely used, so isn't targeted as frequently.

goto:

http://www.firefox.com/

I'm sure they discuss the how's and why's there.

Good luck!

better programming will do that