Web browsers should be secured as use of netbooks increases

Netbooks which focus on the web browser could be a prime target for attackers.

Gerhard Eschelbeck, chief technology officer at Webroot, claimed that as the web has become the primary vector in attacks, desktops are being targeted and people are becoming victims on a daily basis.

He also claimed that as netbooks are the future, they are a clear indication that PC use is all about the browser and open attack surfaces.

Eschelbeck said: “All of the content has become a prime target for attackers. We need to be prepared to prevent attacks from helping with weaknesses in the browser because it is a complex problem; it is also not just with Microsoft but all browsers. We need to look at this from the industry perspective.”

“These days you only need a browser, email client and Office, that is all you need and I use the browser a lot. The netbook is a shrunk version of the PC so it is all about the browser.”

He also claimed that it is not the duty of the user to worry about patches, as it is the vendor's problem with the browser.

“I do not subscribe to the feeling that the end-user needs to know as it becomes part of the service and it should be the security job to work in the background silently and reliably,” said Eschelbeck.


See original article on scmagazineus.com