Guest Author - Debbie Jacobsen

As internet users, we are totally dependent on our web browser. Without a browser, we couldn’t explore websites, shop or do much of anything online. The most popular browser is Internet Explorer by Microsoft. Internet Explorer is included free with all versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems, and is also the most dangerous browser to use from a security standpoint….

What many folks don’t realize is that the world’s most popular web browser also presents one of the worlds biggest security risks. Hackers and cyber-criminals always try to get the biggest payload possible from their efforts, so they are constantly targeting software that has the largest user base – software like Windows Explorer.

Windows Explorer has been the target of thousands of security exploits over the years, and using this browser without “plugging the holes” by downloading and installing all of it’s security patches leaves your computer wide open to dangerous attacks that can lead to identity theft. Although the latest version of Windows Explorer – version 7 – is the most secure version of IE yet, it is only a matter of time before malware writers and hackers find its weaknesses and learn how to exploit them.

If you’re like me, you’re tired of constantly patching your computer in an effort to keep the bad guys and the spyware off your computer. I use the internet on a daily basis for business as well as pleasure, and it made me nervous knowing that my most critical tool – my Internet Explorer web browser – was always the target of one security exploit or another. That is why I switched to Firefox.

Mozilla Firefox – a Safer Alternative

Firefox is a free web browser that is faster and more secure than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. It is an “open source” browser, created by thousands of brilliant volunteer programmers worldwide. Firefox is operated by the Mozilla foundation, a non-profit company that is dedicated to keeping the internet “free” and protecting it from being monopolized by some big corporate giant (like Microsoft).

Firefox is a “lightweight” browser, meaning it is not full of extra bells and whistles that I don’t want or need. It is also totally customizable by downloading free “add-ons” to increase its functionality. Thousands of volunteer programmers are constantly working on Firefox, developing updates to keep it safe and secure.

I started using Firefox about six months ago, and will never go back to Internet Explorer. I like the way it looks, I like the way it works, and most of all I feel safer using Firefox as my web browser. Recently, Microsoft introduced version 7 of Internet Explorer, which includes many of the features that Firefox is famous for – like tabbed browsing pages….

Although there is no guarantee that Firefox will keep the bad stuff off your PC, you are better off with this browser than with IE simply because it is not a Microsoft product. Microsoft products have always been (and likely always will be) a favorite target of hackers. Simply switching your browser to Firefox (or something else) is a step in the right direction when it comes to securing your PC.

Another good reason to try Firefox – the CEO is a woman! Mitchell Baker is one of the few female CEO’s in the technology field and is also one of the rare few that does not have a technical background. Mitchell manages a full time staff of fewer than 75 people as well as a volunteer army of thousands worldwide. She also works out on a trapeze in her spare time – cool!

You can download Firefox for free at getfirefox.com.

To learn more about the Mozilla foundation, you might want to check out CEO Mitchell Baker's blog or see the official website of Mozilla.