Fishing for alternatives

A patch from Microsoft will solve the recent security flaw in Internet Explorer but here's a look at other browsers if you are looking for a change

Next time, when someone says a hacker can access your computer through a lapse in one of your web browsers, you better sit up and take notice.

Threats to your system can come in any form - spam mails or fake offers that ask for your personal details. Once you take the bait, a hacker sitting in any part of the world can easily view your personal information (passwords, bank details, etc) and misuse it one click at a time.

A recent bug in Microsoft's Internet Explorer was one such example.

What the bug does
According to Microsoft, if a user was logged into the system with administrative user rights, then a hacker, using the vulnerability, could gain complete control of the affected system. The attacker could use the content on a special website to do so. But users would need to be convinced to open or view the website - which could be through a link sent on messengers or an attachment in a mail.

Microsoft was quick to repel the flaw, releasing an update on Thursday.

And, the other good news is that the update was also rolled out for Windows XP, for which Microsoft had ended extended support in April. This was an important aid since about 30 per cent desktops are still running Windows XP.

But in case you're a Windows user and want to switch (and you should if you're still using Windows XP), here are the alternatives:

Google Chrome
Released in 2008, this is one browser you will find almost everywhere. A right mix of design and performance makes Chrome one of the most widely used web browsers in the world.

Fact check: Chrome is the second web browser to use the Incognito feature after Safari.

Mozilla Firefox
Well, you can also fight any hacker fire with Mozilla Firefox. It was released in 2002 and uses the Gecko layout system to show the web pages.

Fact check: The name, Firefox, was derived from a nickname of the red panda.

Safari
Apple's Safari was released in 2003 and looks distinct from other web browsers. Safari also provides power-saving features and increased privacy settings.

Fact check: Before Safari was officially named "Safari", Steve Jobs was contemplating christening it as "Freedom".

Opera
Developed by Opera Software, it was released in 1995. And, according to the company, the browser sees around 300 million monthly downloads globally.

Fact check: Opera also released editions for Nintendo's DS and Wii gaming systems in 2006.

Wolfram Alpha
Developed by Wolfram Research, this is an answer engine. It answers user queries directly, rather than providing a list of web pages or results. It's a fairly young entrant in the browser world, released in 2009.

Fact check: Wolfram Alpha uses the Mathematica toolkit to generate answers.

Maxthon
Developed in China by Maxthon Ltd, Maxthon or Maxthon Cloud Browser was released in 2003. One of its features is an undo option for any tabs closed accidentally.