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IE suffers as hackers hit Windows

Cape Town - Internet Explorer has topped the list as the most vulnerable Microsoft Windows component for 2014.

A study of Microsoft Windows vulnerabilities compiled by security company Eset found that the default browser was the most frequently targeted by hackers.

Eset said that the number of attacks forced Microsoft to handle double as many vulnerabilities as hackers focused on IE.

"Fortunately for its users, a great number of these vulnerabilities were patched during the same year," said Eset.

Results from StatCounter show that Google's Chrome has consolidated its market share with 46.3%, IE had a sudden December spike and is at 22.3%, and Firefox is flat at 16.3%.

In SA, IE has a higher market share at 32.9%, behind Chrome (36.7%), but ahead of Firefox 13.1%.

Eset said that the top attack on IE in 2014 was the Unicorn bug.

This bug was particularly dangerous as it was able to exploit versions 3 to 11 of IE.

Microsoft has been hard at work trying to build eroded market share for IE, as users migrate to Google's Chrome.

Some of the features include saving passwords for popular website, video optimisation, and a private browsing mode.


- Follow Duncan on Twitter

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