Evaluating the manageability of web browsers controls

Abstract

The proliferation of smartphones has introduced new challenges in web browsing security. These devices often have limited resources and small size, which may limit the security 'arsenal' of their user. This, however, does not seem to deter smartphone users from accessing the Web via their devices. On the same time, the popularity of browser-based exploits among attackers is also on the rise, especially in the form of Blackhole exploit kit, i.e. frameworks that attack browsers using 0-day exploits (e.g., in Java, Flash). In this context, the paper contributes by comparing the availability and manageability of security controls that are offered by popular smartphone and desktop browsers. It also provides insights about their preconfigured protection against web threats. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.