What is the safest browser for Windows XP?

[Tcll]

I used to be an IE8 user and refused to use IE9 or above due to how when there was a conflict with certain cases, it would allow that case.
Chrome sucks and I'm never using it again... I hear it actually has security now, but I'm not chancing it killing my compy again.
FF is ok, it has security to protect you from the surface layers, but once you browse past that, you're fully open.

I currently use Opera 12 which has been working well so far, though there's a few cases where IE8 has done better...
I'd use Opera17 if turning it's settings up didn't cause allowed pages to not load.

the only problem I have with Opera12 is webpages built by idiots (like Mega) that say "you need an updated browser"
(Mega works with IE9 (it's on my laptop, unfortunately), so why not O12)
^ and Opera12 does HTML5, so where's the update??

can anyone else reccomend anything that's past my experience??

also... when replying, please try not to call me names or delusional or anything...
this is ALL my own experience with other browsers I've used for 10 years now.

[deceptikon]

Pretty much all you've got left in the big hitters is Safari.

[Tcll]

heh...
I already don't trust apple enough to poop on their software. XD
(they're just as bad as MS has gotten now-a-days)

but there's a few uncommon browsers out there...
I'm just asking for any experience with them,
or perhapse something I don't know with the common browsers.

it's either that or build my own... heh
(which I already have an idea for EVEN BETTER protection than what's offered)
- block all websites by default
- once unblocked, block all content from the website by default
(you will be asked to allow and verify this stuff when visiting the site)

aside from that, I also intend to have a sync-place for known good and bad content or sites.

most browsers of today expect you to block what harms your compy.
but how can you block it, if it kills your compy...
(I question the logic of browser developers here)

[gabrielcastillo]

So its the browser companies fault that users incuding yourself, place malware on shady websites, and users including yourself visit shady sites with bad content. I have been working on the web for a very long time and I have only been hit by a virus or malware maybe a handful of times.. That was because I came across some crappy porn sites. I can tell you this. Lesson learned! So maybe you can develop some processess to help yourself from not getting infected, like do visit shady websites, dont download shady content, use AV's and Malware Blockers, Restrict your browser from viewing sites with a negative rating. Don't rely on browser companies to know what you are doing on the web. The safty and security of your puter is your responsiblitiy.

[Tcll]

it's not the browser-dev's fault for what web-devs put on their sites.
it's their fault for defaultly allowing the web-dev's "shady" content to be placed on your compy.

how do you expect the user to know what they're doing...
most people I meet don't even know how to push the power button on a compy when they want to checkon their web content.
(that's the blame of smart phones there)

next thing they know, their compy starts flashing with popups due to ads and such that SHOULD be getting blocked by default.
(that's the browser-dev's fault)

[rubberman]

The other option is Firefox (Mozilla). Myself, I primarily use Chrome, but I also use Firefox on some systems that Chrome doesn't support.

[Tcll]

FF is ok, it has security to protect you from the surface layers, but once you browse past that, you're fully open.

unless you know something I don't... heh
(please tell me if so)

[deceptikon]

It seems like you're asking for a browser that stops people from doing stupid things without any effort on their part. Sadly, that's not a reasonable expectation out of any software.

If you can recognize that a browser is little more than an interface into the web (a potentially unsafe source of data), and act accordingly, there's no problem. As an example, on any machine I've had unilateral control over I've never experienced security issues from browsers.

[Tcll]

It seems like you're asking for a browser that stops people from doing stupid things without any effort on their part. Sadly, that's not a reasonable expectation out of any software.

@Browser-Devs: then please school everyone how to protect themselves with your browser.

I mean really... you may as well be telling people to kill their OS... 9_9

common sense
where is it?
definately not in todays browsers... 9_9

so I guess Opera12 IS the best browser when you're trying to play it safe...

todays economy is so stupid >.<

[Philomena]

I volunteer as a on the top malware forums and most of our browser-related issues are also Chrome-related. For example, if malware has changed your home page, it has to be reset manually, (the tools we use can’t fix it), which Google knows about and couldn’t care less, which is why I wouldn’t use it on principle.

To get back to the original question, on April 8th, (2014), Microsoft will terminate Extended Support for Windows XP. That means no more security updates, therefore no browser will be “safe” to use.

More info here.

Nina

[Philomena]

Sorry about the unqualified explanation about the malware forums. I am trained in virus, spyware and malware removal and help on the top forums which help with such issues.

[AtLeastI'mTryin]

I am surpised I have seen no mention of Comodo here. Comodo (Internet Security) provides powerful stand alone browsers based on Chrome (Dragon) and Firefox (Ice Dragon) that are definitely worth a look. They can be used with their Internet Security Solution or independently.

[Tcll]

yea... MS and stopping security updates...
I've never used their security updated to begin with, and normally disable all MS security...

so I take down the entire first layer, but set up other layers through basic software...
this is a horrid method, yes, but it was meant to prove a point about security a few years back, until I got my rootkit which hit me in the heart.

now I actually leave Win Fire-Wall running, even though it's like fighting fire with latex...

yeh... I've got some wide security holes...
I don't use virus software due to the performance bamf,
and the scanners I have don't really remove all there is to be either...

coming from a hacker:
secutiry is actually, practically useless...
but you can at least do a good enough jub to protect yourself from a few sources...

those sources being:
- your browser
- your local network
- what you run locally

that rootkit I mentioned was a network infection...
I was trying to GAIN access to internet by cracking a few routers... heh
(TF2-Engineer: That's whatchya get)

[KiloKraveSarave]

Chrome is better now. You should pass your emotions and come to Chrome again. :)

[Tcll]

I'm not sure... those 6 trojans and 380 malwares (~25% diagnosed unremovable by eset) still bug me.

I think I'll stick with Opera until something safer comes out...
as far as I'm concerned, IE9 is safer than Chrome.
(and IE9 is worse than FF)

[Tcll]

looks like I've found something better :)
anyone know of Comodo Dragon??

apparently it takes the chrome browser from no security to the best security imaginable, and even has built-in malware and ad-ware blocking. =D

I still turn up JS and cookie settings for even better protection :P

and if that ain't enough, there's also a virtual mode which basically turns the browser into it's own VM.
meaning that whatever can get through the browser security won't be able to get to your compy due to a seperate file system. ;)

there was a small issue I had though in which the Flash Player Plugin wouldn't initialize...
(adobe's installer page refreshes RIGHT after loading, so it's not possible to install from them)
a simple reinstallation of the browser fixed that. :)
(I installed the FP plugin by downloading the installer, then had to reinstall CD before the plugin initialized.)

and with the browser being chrome-based, you get the best of what google has to offer.

the only -1 I have to rate is the browser is very resource intensive.

unlike Opera, which can remeber your session when closing,
CD runs in the background and take up about 27% of my RAM.
(Opera ACTUALLY closes)

if I close those processes, I lose my previous session.

[JorgeM]

I havent tried or researched this particular browser but am familiar with Comodo with regards to other services they provide.

there's also a virtual mode which basically turns the browser into it's own VM.

Interesting... this may be an approach security companies are adoting. Just about two weeks ago, i sat in a presentation where a security company's focus what on this very item. The idea is to run the browser in an isolated VM so that it prevents the things you mentioned.

Nothing is free. I would expect that you would see an increase in resources being used on your system, especially memory. However, the in teh presentation i saw, the memory consumption was discussed. The way it was handled according to the product I saw, it was solved by paging to disk for those inactive browser tabs, so you can open an unlimited number of tabs without crashing your system, at least that is what I saw in the demo.

It would be interesting to see if other vendors out there will follow this approach. apparently, this approach mitigates issues which allows less reliance on the traditional AV client.

[Tcll]

oh how I love it when people use big words I don't understand. XD
(not being sarcastic, I actually really like being out-spoken) :)

anyways...
just cause you're running in a VM, that doesn't mean you're entirely safe.
I'd definately advise blocking cookies and JS cause they can still cause the VM to slow down and your personal passwords to be tracked and logged
(just as an extra step to the already existing browser security)

but heck... not even the best security can take care of every last little thing...
a security layer is only as good as a layer of clouds covering a planet (your computer)

each security software you use only adds an extra layer of clouds on the planet.

I've already tried using Comodo Firewall with Avast, and that ends causing my system to hang...
(not sure exactly which side is hanging, but I have a lead on Comodo being known for this)

[gerbil]

I have used Comodo's firewall for years, still do, on XP which I use 99% of the time. W7 just aggravates me... it's the other 1%.
Comodo's firewall is just great, runs alongside Avast's AV only. But I got CF when it was purely that, not a firewall packaged with a deactivated AV service, which is how the new version is presented. Doubt if the old one is still available... I have the installer yet, 19 MB.
Opera is my main browser, the workhorse, but I find that I must use FF for banking, cos most like institutions won't set up their pages for Opera.
Now Jorge thinks (knows...) that I'm a dinosaur.

Something else, something that may be important to Opera users who love Version 12.... Disable the auto-update feature under Security, because inside 3 months you will otherwise be forced onto Opera 18.

[gerbil]

http://www.zdnet.com/time-to-move-on-final-patch-for-opera-12-due-by-mid-2014-7000023427/

[Tcll]

Opera 18 has page loading issues (on allowed pages) when you boost your security to block everything... heh

I had both installed before I reinstalled XP64
(I even had Opera 19 installed)

but yea... as for avast... so just disable the internet security and I'm good?? :)
(I still have avast installed... it's just disabled indefinately until I can fix it) :P

would you mind sending me a copy of that old installer? :)
(perhapse I may need to use that)

in any case, since CD upgrades Chrome's interface, might I recommend switcfhing your FF to that. :)

[gerbil]

My CFP is for xp & Vista only, not W7. But folks seem to clamour for this version because of the interface... 5.10.228257. And it's here: http://www.filehorse.com/download-comodo-32/9997/ for 32 bit types.
There are pages of old versions to choose from, 5.12 for example.
This is the lead-in page to 64 bit versions: http://www.filehorse.com/download-comodo-64/old-versions/

[Tcll]

huh... I will try this one >.>
I'm more worried about the security rather than the interface, but I'll see what's to offer. :)

also, +1 for bamf-ing win7. >:D
lol

[Joycekyle]

Firefox or Chrome. As for me. I love Chorme.

[OneSolutionInc]

These browsers are safe for Windows XP:
1.Internet Explorer
2. Google Chrome
3. Mozilla Firefox
4. Opera

[Tcll]

I completely forgot about this thread,
I've been doing alot of research and have to conclude Comodo Dragon as the safest browser of all browsers.

Comodo is a team of developers working on a wide security suite and providing it for free, the only thing you have to pay for is convenience features.

Chrome < Chromium < Dragon

I've used Opera (both Presto and Chromium builds) and can't say their safety is up to par, and FF, last I used it (including Comodo IceDragon) doesn't give users much control over web content blocking.

for the full list of browsers I've used: (least to most secure)

IE9 < IE8 < FF(gecko) < Opera(presto) < Opera(chromium) < IceDragon(gecko) < Chrome < Chromium < Dragon

I'm hearing IE12 might be safer than IE8, though knowing MS, I wouldn't trust that.

why is chromium safer than chrome?
chromium = chrome - google user tracking
dragon = chromium + better malware protection + Comodo DNS (web filter)