As far back as two years ago, a milenium in technological chronology, technology gurus touted the benefits of sandbox security in Internet or web browsers. At that time, most were talking about a beta browser being tested by Google, called Chrome. Chrome, now in permanent release, is one of the safest out there.
Here's why Chrome, and now maybe Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) version 8, may be safer choices for Internet browsing.
How Browser Tabs Affect a Secure Internet Experience
Most of today's browsers use tabs, or allow users to choose to use tabs when browsing the web. A tab is simply a separate sub-window the user opens for each site she visits. The sub-window is accessed via an object at the top of the browser. The object resembles the tab at the top of a paper file folder, hence the name, tab.
In most browsers, tabs all use the same pieces of computer memory that the original browser window uses. They're all connected. Whatever goes on behind the main window goes on behind sub-windows, and vice versa.
So along come Google developers in about 2008. They decide to include a system called sandbox in their latest Beta test. Sandbox isolates each tab into its own separate little piece of computer memory. Each tab or sub-window lives in its own sandbox and is not affected by what's going on in or behind other windows. What's the advantage?
According to tech guru Mike DiMichels the sandbox systems makes it unlikely that malware, outside attacks, crashes, or other nasties in a single tab will migrate to other tabs.
In other words, in theory, if one site or tab crashes, the user's browser won't crash. The desktop won't crash. Other tabs remain stable. Malware can't wiggle out into the system and cause problems. If the technology is reliable, and it seems to be in Chrome, security is tighter and browsing is safer.
Why IE8 May be Safer than Experts Claim
Recently, Microsoft incorporated sandbox construction into the latest iteration of Internet Explore. That would be IE8. Again, in theory, that should call off the technical dogs proclaiming that IE is unsafe at any speed. But there is a catch - or maybe several. DiMichel and other experts agree that IE sandboxing only works in conjunction with Windows 7 operating system.
If a user runs Vista, XP, or anything else, IE8's sandboxes are about as useful as a cat box filled with water. Dietrich T. Schmitz, a GNU/Linus advocate, says on a CDNet forum that IE8's protected mode relies on underlying Windows 7 security, and if there is a defect there, which isn't out of the question, the whole idea is out the window. Seems the jury hasn't come in yet with a definitive answer.
Have the Safest Internet Browsing Experience
The bottom line for safe browsing? Recent tests indicate Chrome and Opera are probably the safest, most stable browser choices, followed by Safari, then Firefox. All are, free, and very fast, but users should use caution when attaching add-ons to Firefox, some are unstable. Most experts still caution against relying on IE, but some encourage using IE8 with Win7 unless and until the combo is proven vulnerable.
Where to get the latest safer browsers for Windows computers: Chrome with sandboxes , Opera, Safari, Firefox and IE.
Maryan Pelland - A professional, established freelance writer, I've earned the moniker, "expert" in technology for baby boomers. I have deep experience in ...
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