Security are user privacy are features that Microsoft takes very seriously these days, and the Redmond based technology titan has amped up security and privacy in all its products, from Windows to Office and, of course, Internet Explorer.
Speaking of the browser,
Internet Explorer 10 takes the privacy aspect to an even higher level.
The default web browser on Windows 8 (and an optional download on Windows 7) now offers much more advanced tools for user privacy when compared to its main rivals, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.
An independent study recently performed by
NSS Labs shows that
IE 10 is the only major browser on the market that allows users the ability to choose from various tracking protection lists — thereby giving them power to enhance privacy when browsing the Internet.
The study
(◄ download PDF at bottom ▼) reveals:
“Internet Explorer has a unique privacy feature called ‘Tracking Protection.’ Not to be confused with Do Not Track, the option is easier to find, and it allows users to select one or more tracking protection lists (TPSs) that have been created by Microsoft or by third-party vendors, such as Albine.
In theory, users can create their own TPLs; however, these lists are challenging to implement and involve obscure documentation, making the creation almost impossible for users.”
The Do Not Track feature has been a topic of immense debate, more so for
Internet Explorer 10. But NSS Labs notes that this new feature is not really effective right now — some websites still collect data without user consent:
“The reality of Do Not Track in the browser is that the default setting is a statement of vendor position on privacy. The technology today actually does nothing to protect privacy.”
Nevertheless, NSS Labs concludes that if the propose legislation prevails and is coupled with honest compliance from websites for the Do Not Track header, then IE 10 users will be far more protected by default than users that are on any other current browser available on the market.
Download:
2013 Browser Security Comparative Analysis: Privacy (pdf file)
