Major Web Browsers Fail Password Protection Testing

Major Web Browsers Fail Password Protection Testing

Dennis Faas's picture

The password management feature in your favorite web browser could be helping identity thieves steal your personal data, according to a survey recently conducted by Chapin Information Services (CIS). Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome are vulnerable to a total of 20 vulnerabilities that could result in exposing your password-related information.

Three problems are among those that, when combined, allow password thieves to steal your password without your knowledge:

  • The destination where passwords are sent is not checked.
     
  • The location where passwords are requested is not checked.
     
  • Invisible form elements can trigger password management.

Google's new Chrome browser was among the worst offenders. According to the study, Chrome's password manager contains multiple un-patched issues that "form a toxic soup of potential vulnerabilities that can coalesce into broad insecurity." Apple's Safari for Windows browser also failed a majority of the tests. (Source: zdnet.com)

More information on the technical details of the test can be found at Chapin Information Services. (Source: info-svc.com)

You can also test your web browser using the password management demonstration at the CIS website:

http://www.info-svc.com/news/2008/12-12/pm-evaluator/

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