Forty Percent of Web Users Surf With Unsafe Browsers

[clevin]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/40_percent_of_web_users_surf_w_1.html

A comprehensive new study of online surfing habits released today found that only 60 percent of the planet's Internet users surf the Web with the latest, most-secure versions of their preferred Web browsers.

So, why don't you update your browser(s)?

No argument over the presumption of the security of each browsers' latest version please. Thats another flame that is not related to this article.

 

[superman193]

People do not like change..........

 

[ScottAult]

"Secure" browsers

Well the chart doesn't break it out by operating system, but I know that a lot of people are still on IE version 6 because you have to authenticate your Windows install to get v7 (That's could be a problem if you don't actually have a verifiable install). You also have to have xp or Vista to get 7.
Of course, Windowa update doesn't update Safari, and firefox just released their current version last month (I don't remember what day) so the numbers could be from before and after the release, but only campared with the latest version.

I'm mostly just guessing.

 

[clevin]

Of course, Windowa update doesn't update Safari, and firefox just released their current version last month (I don't remember what day) so the numbers could be from before and after the release, but only campared with the latest version.

I'm mostly just guessing.

the study mentioned its all FX 2's data, and studied data was collected from 01-07 to 06-08, I don't think firefox 3's release would have any significant impact on the result.

 

[ScottAult]

"Secure" Browsers

"studied data was collected from 01-07 to 06-08"

Yeah, I saw that in the story, but the chart says June 2008. Peculiar.

 

[harveypooka]

I can believe this.

Most people don't really care what they're running. They just want to browse the net, get what they want and bugger off.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

This makes a lot of sense to me, especially for IE, due to the hoops MS makes you jump through to get version 7 installed. As for the other browsers, harveypooka said it best - most people don't much care what browser they are using. They get on the Internet to find whatever it is they're looking for, then close it and are done. I know this from personal experience, visiting people's houses to solve their computer problems - both Macs and PCs.

 

[harveypooka]

They get on the Internet to find whatever it is they're looking for, then close it and are done. I know this from personal experience, visiting people's houses to solve their computer problems - both Macs and PCs.

A prime example would be my parents. They're both in their 60's, terrified of computers. They use an old sunflower iMac and use Safari to browse the web.

They get a message up on internet banking (or similar services) stating they must use "Internet Explorer 5.5 for security reasons" or similar bollocks. They ask me if they should use IE, I say no, Safari is standards based, blah, blah. It's over their head. They just don't care! They want it to work!

And really, it should just work. Imagine a day when browser incompatibilities are no more....

 

[clevin]

Imagine a day when browser incompatibilities are no more....

i sure hope so, its much better today than 8 years ago, the rise of firefox to 1/5 or 1/6 of computers sure deserves a big chunk of credit of this nice trend.

Currently, the Firefox's update method is the best for non-tech people, it just downloads update at background, promotes to restart browser, restores original sessions once restarted, nice and easy. Plus its incremental update method, download sizes are usually small and fast.

The change of web is slow, but sure is in a right direction now.

 

[harveypooka]

The change of web is slow, but sure is in a right direction now.

Sadly I don't think we'll ever like in a glorious age of agnostic coding or programming. Unless, and this is my theory, Google decide to make an online operating system that demolishes Windows...go on Google!