A Web browser is the primary key to the Internet as its major function is to open the doors of the World Wide Web. The Internet would become an impassable entity without it.

A browser is a software application meant for presenting, traversing and retrieving information resources on the Web.

Though its main purpose is to access the Internet, it can also be exploited to have information that is offered by Web servers in private files or networks in file systems.

Web browsers are prone to various attacks for hazardous content on the Internet. It is very crucial to organize your browser against security threats and also to keep worms, viruses and other malware at bay in your computer while surfing.

To make your Web/Internet browser safe, the firewall on a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) router is the first and foremost basis. But if your browser is out of date, this won’t help as the current versions of Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer 6 and 7 no longer suit existing security standards. So you have to keep your browsers updated for optimal protection.

The Internet Explorer and Firefox provide various security tools, such as the pop-up blocker, which prevents the entry of annoying advertisements and other unwanted Web pages. They also have Phishing filters that protect private data against theft. Additionally, these Web browsers keep a check on other applications that are used to slip malicious software onto computers.

In Firefox, you can find added configuration options in the Security tab under the ‘Options’ dialog box that blocks risky and forged Web sites. It is also advisable to proscribe Web sites from add-on installations. Internet Explorer offers similar settings in the Security tab under the Tools menu.
Computer owners are advised to activate all warning systems against attacks, which applies mainly to warnings about doubtful content that is displayed through JavaScript, ActiveX or Flash. But the warning mechanism on these Internet browsers alone may not prove enough.

If you wish to be extra-careful, then use the add-on ‘No Script’ in Firefox as it blocks, by default, all the dynamic content of a Web site and allows you to decide which content is to be permitted. The main issue is that you should be able to determine whether the content is safe or represents a threat to your computer.