In a current study published by NSSLabs both technologies, Microsoft SmartScreen- and Google’s Download Protection, have been considered as very effective. Internet Explorer (99,96 %) and Google Chrome (83,16 %) are far ahead of the competition. On the topic of blocking malware downloads Apple’s Safari (10,15 %), Firefox (9,92 %) and Opera (1,87 %) often fail.
Although Google’s Safe Browsing is also used in Safari and Firefox, it is no longer the bar of all things. The success of Google’s Chrome browser is the addition of a file-based reputation service (Download Protection), which identified 73.16% of all malware downloads.
Google’s Safe Browsing is not (any longer) measure of all things!
The result of this study is therefore similar to a punch for all critics. Since SmartScreen mainly is focused to detect “socially engineered malware” (malware downloads, advertised in social engineering attacks), an implementation of SmartScreen technology in Skype should not be considered as espionage, but purposeful and logical. Since Google’s Download Protection approach is the same, an implementation in other services such as G-Mail and Google Talk should also be already done or considered.
Suggestion: With Initiative-S, eco – Association of the German Internet Industry – offers a free monitoring service for website owners. Once registered our systems regulary check your website for 3rd party manipulations and notifys you directly; in the ideal case even before it comes to a blockage of your website through the technologies described above.
Conclusion: Even if it is not the task of a web browser or instant messager software, we believe this approach of Microsoft and Google are very important. Whereas earlier nor the recommendation was to use alternative browsers, it is today: Internet Explorer. With its SmartScreen technology Microsoft brought a new benchmark on the market.
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