Web Browser Attacks Report

This report comprehensively examines web browser attacks, focusing on their challenges, problems, and impact. It begins by introducing the ubiquitous nature of web browsers and the security risks associated with their use. The report then delves into specific challenges, such as inadequate security patches and vulnerabilities in web application coding. It highlights the resulting problems, including unauthorized access to user information, the injection of malicious scripts, and browser alterations. The report then explores relevant technologies for mitigating these attacks, such as proper browser configuration, regular updates, the use of ad-blockers, and leveraging browser security and privacy options. It also addresses unclear areas, such as the limitations of programming languages in preventing attacks and the lack of a universally effective solution. The report includes a discussion of research questions and answers, insights from a relevant forum, and the real-world impact of these attacks. Finally, it concludes by emphasizing the importance of maintaining browser security and privacy for both users and developers.

Information Security
Web Browser Attacks
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Executive Summary
This report is based on the concept of web browser attacks. Web browsers is a software
application and it is used for different purposes such as accessing, presenting and navigating
information and its resources worldwide on the World Wide Web. Moreover, it has several
benefits such as searching information by surfing different websites and explore variety of
websites. However, some issues are also related with web browsers such as web browser attacks.
The purpose of making this report to discuss challenges, problems and impact of web browser
attacks. Besides this, I will also emphasize on some other common issues related to browser
attacks.
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Challenges of Web Browser Attacks............................................................................................3
Problems of Web Browsers Attacks.............................................................................................4
Relevant Technologies.................................................................................................................4
Application of Relevant Technologies..........................................................................................5
Unclear Areas of Web Browser Attacks.......................................................................................5
Research Questions......................................................................................................................6
Described Issues in the Forum.....................................................................................................6
Issue that is addressed the in Forum...........................................................................................6
Impact of Issues of Real World....................................................................................................7
Most important Lesson Learnt from Discussions........................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Today everyone knows about the web browser and its usage. To use web browser no need to do
so much by a user. After installing web browser through its executable file, an icon appears on
the screen and by clicking on that icon browser will open and user can use that accordingly.
While using web browsers, a user has to face some security related issues that are critical enough
to control. In next segment of report, I will discuss main challenges, problems, appropriate
technologies to resolve issues and unclear areas of web browser attacks.
Discussion
The very popular web browsers are Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Opera
and Safari. These all browsers have to encounter problem of web attacks and these attacks are
conducted by using social engineering, cross-site scripting and client-side exploits. Due to these
attacks of web browsers, following challenges have to face by users.
Challenges of Web Browser Attacks
According to analysis, it is found that near about 45% of people those are surfing internet are not
using most secure version of web browser and facing following challenges.
1. The first challenge is of security patches applied to web browsers. If a web browser is not
equipped with appropriate security patches than web browsers can result in vulnerable
attacks. Moreover, security patches cannot work without proper patching of browser
plug-ins (Zeltser.com, 2017).
2. Another challenging factor is poor coding of web applications and vulnerabilities that are
found in software solutions connected with web browsers. These weak factors of web
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browsers are necessary to overcome at developers’ end because hackers are taking
advantage from these weak factors.
Therefore, these above discussed challenges of web browsers attacks are required to control by
developers by using advanced techniques at priority basis. Otherwise, issues of data lost and
virus attacks will be increased.
Problems of Web Browsers Attacks
Due to above challenging factors of web browser attacks, various problems have raised for
people who use web browsers that are listed as below:
1. The first problem is that due to lack of security on web browsers, hackers can easily hack
them and can access information about saved login, cookies, cache and visited websites.
2. Another problem is of addition of harmful programming scripts into browsers by hackers.
These scripts are vulnerable enough and redirect the users automatically to unknown
websites without any knowledge of users (Shema, 2012). Those websites may have some
malicious programs that can enter into computer’s system of user and can cause damage.
3. Another problem is related to alteration of web browsers by malicious attacks from
hackers’ side. These alternations lead to weird activities of web browsers that users are
unable to understand (Lifewire, 2017).
Relevant Technologies
Web browsers can be protected from vulnerabilities by using appropriate technologies.
Following are some relevant technologies that can be used to manage web browser attacks:
1. The configuration of web browser should be done properly. While configuring browser, it
is necessary to follow-up every instruction and security patches and plug-ins should also
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be installed properly. These plug-ins are helpful to protect web browsers from unknown
entities (Us-cert.gov, 2017)
2. Another relevant technology is to update browser regularly and also install third party
solutions like ad-blocker to restrict harmful online advertisements to enter into the
system. The advertisements so much injurious for system that these can slow down the
system and can corrupt its boot files. Ad blockers are useful enough to stop these types of
advertisements and other unknown entities.
3. Web browsers have security and privacy options and with the help of these options web
browsers can become more secure. For example, by hiding saved login passwords, by
clearing caches and cookies that are not required at regular basis and by clicking
checkbox options those are related to privacy of web browser content and its display.
Application of Relevant Technologies
The application area of these technologies is wide enough and these can be used to protect
different versions of web browsers. Most of the web browser developers are using these relevant
technologies to protect their browsers from unknown vulnerabilities (Howtogeek.com, 2017).
Unclear Areas of Web Browser Attacks
Web browser attacks are common among people but there are some vague areas about which
people must have knowledge. The first thing that is not yet cleared about web browser attacks is
that why programming languages are not so strong to restrict vulnerable browser attacks. At
developers’ end this thing must be cleared that how programming languages can be more
protective and strong to stop hackers to mischief web browser. Moreover, an appropriate solution
for protect web browsers from hackers is also not properly found yet (Thorpe, 2017).
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Research Questions
While analyzing problem of web browser attacks, some common research questions are found
that are required to discuss here in this report.
Question 1: What is the best way to get prevention from Web Browser Attacks?
Answer: The most appropriate way to get prevention from web browser attacks is its periodical
updates. Regular updates provides strength to browser to cope up with vulnerable objects
(Computing & Browser, 2017).
Question 2: What is the main reason of Web Browser Attack?
Answer: The entrance of any third party application or any other entity into web browser
without knowledge but with permission of users, is the main reason of web browser attacks
(Its.ucsc.edu, 2017).
Described Issues in the Forum
To know about the main issues of Web browser attacks I have selected a forum and according to
that forum the main issues of web browser attacks are violation of security of users’ information
such as cookies and login information, entrance of virus into system through web browser and
slow performance of web browser as well as computer system. These issues put bad impact on
users’ activities that they perform by using web browsers. This available information in forum is
accurate and users of web browsers must have knowledge about these issues and must use
appropriate security techniques to resolve these problems (SearchMidmarketSecurity, 2017).
Issue that is addressed the in Forum
All the mentioned issues in selected forum about web browser attacks are relevant. But another
issue that is not addressed in this forum is that downloading content from different websites by
using web browsers can also be harmful for users if it will not be scanned properly before
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downloading into system (Adams, 2017). This content may have some attached virus entities that
enters into web browser easily and also try to corrupt the main files of browser. Due to this,
browser does not work properly and also becomes slower than its normal speed. This issue is
important to discuss here because nowadays, downloading rate of movies, audio and other
content have become so higher and people do not care while downloading content and click on
links that are harmful (Happyhamstercomputers.com, 2017).
Impact of Issues of Real World
The above discussed issues and challenges of web browser attacks have bad impacts on users of
web browsers. This is because due to these attacks their computer systems, its content and web
browser related information are at high risk. From the first day after installation, it has become
essential for them to protect their web browsers by using secure software solutions that are
especially made to get prevention from web browser attacks. If these software solutions will not
be used then overall problem of web browser attacks can get worse. At developers’ end, due to
improper management of security and privacy of web browsers, hackers are trying to get into
browsers to violate them (Searchsecurity.techtarget.com, 2017).
Most important Lesson Learnt from Discussions
First of all I got to know that security and privacy of web browser is mandatory to maintain at
users and as well as developers’ end. Moreover, users must not allow any unknown entity to
enter into system through browser and to do this, appropriate third party software solutions
should be used. On other side, while developing web browsers, developers must use secure
programming languages and all security patches and plugins should be configured properly
(Google, 2017).
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Conclusion
In conclusion, it is right to say that without web browsers it is difficult to access data from
different websites and to explore other internet sources. But security should be maintained at
priority basis and everyone should have knowledge about possible challenges and risk factors of
using web browsers and how these can be overcome by using security tools.
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References
Securing Your Web Browser. (2017). Us-cert.gov. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
https://www.us-cert.gov/publications/securing-your-web-browser
How to avoid attacks that exploit a Web browser vulnerability. (2017).
SearchMidmarketSecurity. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
http://searchmidmarketsecurity.techtarget.com/tip/How-to-avoid-attacks-that-exploit-a-
Web-browser-vulnerability
Three Web Attack Vectors Using the Browser. (2017). Zeltser.com. Retrieved 28 September
2017, from https://zeltser.com/web-browser-attack-vectors/
Computing, H., & Browser, W. (2017). What is a Web Browser?. WhatIsMyIPAddress.com.
Retrieved 28 September 2017, from http://whatismyipaddress.com/web-browser
Thorpe, E. (2017). Three reasons why browsers are so difficult to secure. IT PRO. Retrieved 28
September 2017, from http://www.itpro.co.uk/security/29077/three-reasons-why-
browsers-are-so-difficult-to-secure
Do You Know What a Web Browser Actually Is?. (2017). Lifewire. Retrieved 28 September
2017, from https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-browser-446234
7 Ways to Secure Your Web Browser Against Attacks. (2017). Howtogeek.com. Retrieved 28
September 2017, from https://www.howtogeek.com/228828/7-ways-to-secure-your-web-
browser-against-attacks/
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Web browser security news, help and research - SearchSecurity. (2017).
Searchsecurity.techtarget.com. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/resources/Web-Browser-Security
Google, i. (2017). 20 Things I Learned About Browsers and the Web. 20thingsilearned.com.
Retrieved 28 September 2017, from http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-GB/all/print
Shema, M. (2012). Hacking web apps. Amsterdam [u.a.]: Elsevier/Syngress.
Web Browser Secure Settings. (2017). Its.ucsc.edu. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
https://its.ucsc.edu/software/release/browser-secure.html
Adams, D. (2017). 11 steps to reduce the risk of web attacks - Patriot Technologies, Inc.. Patriot
Technologies, Inc.. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
http://patriot-tech.com/blog/2011/02/04/11-steps-to-reduce-the-risk-of-web-attacks/
Understanding Web Browser Attacks | Get Certified Get Ahead. (2017). Get Certified Get
Ahead. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
http://blogs.getcertifiedgetahead.com/understanding-web-browser-attacks/
The 2 Main Types of Web Browser Attacks | Happy Hamster Computers. (2017).
Happyhamstercomputers.com. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from
https://happyhamstercomputers.com/computer-repair-tips/the-2-main-types-of-web-
browser-attacks/
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