Qualys BrowserCheck – Scans Web Browsers To Help Identify Security Flaws with Browsers and Plug-Ins
Cybercriminals love exploiting security flaws in web browsers and their associated plug-ins to conduct attacks.
IT security risk and compliance management solutions provider, Qualys, is aiming to address some browser risks with the launch of Qualys BrowserCheck, a new service to help corporate users and consumers identify potential security issues in their browsers.
“The threat of browser-based attacks is growing and the number of security flaws in browser plug-ins is rising. Users must be aware of their browsers’ security and protect themselves from malicious activity,” said Avivah Litan, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner.
Run directly by visiting the BrowserCheck URL with a Web browser, the service scans the browser as well as its plug-ins to identify insecure and out-of-date versions that put its users at risk. The service currently only supports Windows based systems. Mac users trying to access the system will be greeted with a “Browser not Supported” message.
BrowserCheck scans and detects possible vulnerabilities and out-of-date software for popular plug-ins such as Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Reader, QuickTime, Silverlight, Windows Media Player, and more.
“Almost 100 percent of all browsers we have surveyed have plug-ins installed that enable the user to play music, watch video, visualize PDF files and play games. Frequently these plug-ins are overlooked by the users and are not updated, representing a significant security exposure – both for end-users and corporate clients,” said Philippe Courtot, chairman and CEO of Qualys.
Qualys BrowserCheck uses security information compiled by the Qualys vulnerability research team paired with a browser extension to assess the state of security of the browser itself and its plug-ins.
Qualys BrowserCheck is a free and available at http://browsercheck.qualys.com
