Cybersecurity guidance firm NSS Labs announced June 13 it’s developing the next iteration of its Web Browser Security Comparative Test, with results expected out by the end of the year. The company is also calling for both enterprises and browser vendors to weigh in on the upcoming test and its methodology.
In 2017, NSS Labs performed the industry’s first cross-platform test of web browsers, conducting a series of tests that focused on early protection against new threats, block rates, and protection consistency, with cross-platform tests on desktops and tablets to verify security consistency across devices. Those results found that, regardless of the platform, browsers are more effective at blocking socially engineered malware (SEM) than phishing attacks.
“Web browsers are the primary interface enterprises use to consume information and are the first line of defense against SEM and phishing attacks,” said Jason Brvenik, CTO for NSS Labs. “In our 2017 Web Browser Security Comparative Test, consistency of protection over time against threats ranged from 58.5% to 99%.
“Our test findings for 2018 will provide valuable insights to help enterprises and consumers understand web browser protection capabilities and potential risk exposure. We encourage enterprises and vendors to share their thoughts with us as we prepare to examine leading web browsers in the market.”
There’s no fee for participation in NSS Labs group tests, and the test methodology used is available in the public domain, in order to provide transparency, and to help enterprises understand the results. Enterprises looking to provide feedback regarding the upcoming Web Browser Comparative Test can email [email protected], while vendors can email [email protected].